I'm Lucky I'm In Love With My Best Friend
by RestlessIdeas
Summary: Peeta and Katniss are best friends. When they turn 16 Peeta starts getting these weird feeling around Katniss. When Peeta figures out what he's feeling is love. Can he be in love and be best friends with Katniss and how can he tell Katniss the he loves her. Peeta says he's lucky he's in love with his best friend. Does Katniss feel the same way. Modern time in New York.
1. Walk To School

This story is about Katniss and Peeta, being best friends and Peeta's point of view on falling in love with her. Set in the modern time in New York, USA.  
I don't own these characters, Suzanne Collins does. I don't make money out of this.  
Why do you think I write a fan fiction?

Please enjoy.

* * *

I kick the rock at my feet. I'm outside Katniss's house, waiting for her to come out so that we can walk to school together. I've been getting these strange feelings while I'm around Katniss lately, she is my best friend and we do a lot of things together, were basically _always _together. But sometimes when I touch her or when she touches me I get this weird feeling in the pit of my stomach, at first it only happens occasionally but now, even her smile makes my stomach turn.

* * *

Ok, so these weird feelings started about 5 months ago, in April, the month Katniss turned 16, I turned 16 three months before her. Anyway, it was 5 days after her birthday when I started getting those feelings.

When we were walking home from school that day, I find myself turning my head to look at her from time to time. Katniss said something but I didn't quite get it, I was concentrating on the way the breeze waves her hair around. I shake my head, which brings me back to reality.

"Huh? What? You said something?"  
Katniss chuckles then turns her head to meet mine, "I said, did you get enough notes from Maths today because were having a test next week?" Katniss smiles when she says this, "Or do I have to make you copy my notes again?"  
"No, I didn't get any notes; it's so hard to concentrate though, all Mrs Chandler does is talk and talk and talk. Half the time, I don't even think she's speaking English. It's boring." I reply.  
Katniss giggles. "You find it boring because you refuse to concentrate and listen. If you actually tried you might understand what she's trying to tell you." She says.  
"It's not my fault! It just…Katniss, you keep distracting me." I say those words without even thinking.  
"What? How do I distract you? You're the one who distracts me when you keep on staring at me." she says.  
"That's the point!I can't help it, you keep distracting me because you're so…" Katniss raises her eyebrows waiting for me to continue, when I don't she stops walking and says, "So what?"  
I gulp, "So…beautiful…" There! I did it again I spoke without thinking, what's wrong with me? I started blushing though, after realising what I just said.  
"Oh…" Katniss says and she starts walking and I do too.  
"Do you…really think that?" Katniss asks me after a few seconds of torturous silence.  
"Yes, I do" I say back.  
She smiles at me and I smile back and that's when I feel it, that feeling in the pit of my stomach.

* * *

I hear the door of their house shut and I see Katniss standing at the porch. Then she yells at Prim that she's going to school now. She sees me standing just next to her mum's car and smile. And I get that feeling again. Oh man! How do I make it stop? I walk up to her and give her a hug.  
"Prim doesn't want us to walk her to school today?" I ask her.  
"No, she just wants mum to drop her off to school." She says.  
She intertwines our hands together and we start walking.  
_Her hands are so soft, _I start thinking about how our hands fit perfect together then quickly shake the thought off. We walk quietly to school which takes about 15 minutes because we don't like taking the bus, the football team and all those mean and nasty people take the bus. Sometimes they take their car to school to show it off. As soon as we caught a glimpse of the bus stop and saw the football team throwing their balls to each other, Katniss and I took a different turn to school, its longer but it will at least keep us away from their daily bullying. I don't even want to have an encounter with them.  
"Why don't you join the football team, I mean you and your brothers are always playing football together when I come over your house and you LOVE football." Katniss asks me when we take a turn.  
"And hang around with those kind of people, no thanks. I wouldn't risk it. I was thinking of trying out for basketball though, tryouts are next week." I say.  
"Does that mean I have to just sit in the gym stands and watch you fail at basketball?" Katniss teases.  
I squeeze her hand and say, "Come on! I'm not that bad, I can shoot hoops." I say back.  
"I was just joking." Katniss says, "Then that means I'm going to be the only girl in the gym stands waiting for you to finish try outs?"  
"You can ask Delly, Madge, Gale and Cato if they want to watch. Maybe not Cato, Coach O'Dair hates his guts." I say.  
Katniss shrugs, "Maybe, if they want to stay at school that long."

When we arrive at school, we find Delly and Madge waiting for us just around the parking areas.  
"Aww, here comes the future Mr and Mrs Mellark." Delly says in a voice someone uses when they see a cute animal.  
Katniss rolls he eyes, she's use to this, when Delly, Madge, Gale, Cato or even some teachers tease us about being girlfriend and boyfriends. I'm not use to it though I always blush or start stuttering then it makes it look like we are dating. Katniss lets go of my hand to make it to Madge and Delly's side and already I miss the warmth of my hand with hers. I just put my hands in my pockets and start walking up to them too.  
"Where are Cato and Gale?" I ask.  
"They couldn't be bothered waiting for you to come to school, they knew you took the long cut because you're ten minutes late." Madge says.  
"Where are they then?" I ask again.  
"I dunno, inside the school." Delly says, "I know! Why don't you look for them." Madge says in a sarcastic voice.  
Delly and Madge starts laughing and even Katniss manages to smile. I hate it when those two girls make me look dumb.  
"Ha Ha, very funny." I say sarcastically, "I'll go look for them then and I'll see you guys in class." I say.  
"I'll come in with you." Katniss says, "You guys wanna come?" she asks Delly and Madge.  
"Nah, we'll just see you somewhere around breaks" Delly says.  
"Ok then," Katniss shrugs then turns to start walking inside with me.  
Delly, Madge, Cato and Gale aren't exactly our best best best friends. Their just school friends, we hang out with them at school, but sometimes we hang out outside of school. But Katniss and I share a different friendship, we've been friends our whole lives, ever since we were five, we just live 20 minutes away from each other and we end up in the same school because we live on the same area. We only met Delly, Madge, Cato and Gale this year and they are very fun to hang with. The rest of the time I spend and save some time to hang around with Katniss. Whether its doing homework together, spending our money in the shops together or when our family eats dinner together. Whether people like it or not, Katniss and I are always together. Being away form each other is basically torture for both of us.

I wouldn't know what my life would be without her.

* * *

Chapter One done! I actually don't know when Katniss and Peeta were born, all I know is that they're the same age.

Please Comment and I will see if I get enough reviews to continue writing.

-RestlessIdeas


	2. Do You Know Why You Feel Like This?

This is chapter 2. It continues on from them walking inside the school.  
I don't own the Hunger Games. Suzanne Collins wrote that book, her ideas and her imagination.

* * *

The rest of the morning goes by quicker than I thought. We find Cato and Gale and start taking about the basketball try outs. We had Maths first thing in the morning. Cato and Delly are the only two who take that Maths class with Katniss and I in the morning and as usual I sit with Katniss around the back and Cato and Delly sit around the middle front.  
For the second period we have English, I still have Katniss with me in that class. Like I said, we are _ always_ together. I listen to what Mr Turnley says at first then on the second half of the session I start sketching katniss flowers, when Katniss realises she take my pencil and fixes my head to look at the front of the class and take notes instead of draw. Even though there is not test coming she's always making me take notes to study for 'future reference'. After English, Katniss and I had Science, all we did was talk and learn more about atoms. I doze off and Katniss takes notes for both of us. She wasn't very happy with me dozing off. I knew I wouldn't be able to get away with this.

Finally when we have our fist break and Cato and Gale invited me to play Soccer, Katniss simply says I wont be able to play because I have work to do. Yep! Every time I don't take my own notes, if I don't listen in the classroom or when I doze off Katniss takes my fun break time and make me do work.  
So here I am in the canteen, copying Katniss' notes from Science, the good thing is that I have Katniss watching and sitting next to me and making sure I copy down her notes, every single word. While I'm quickly trying to copy down her notes I catch her looking at me from the corner of my eye, I quickly turn my head, which kinda startle her by the way.  
"What am I doing wrong now?" I ask Katniss.  
"Nothing, I can see that you just want to get this done as soon as you can." Katniss replies with a sweet smile.  
And I feel that thing in my stomach again. _What is it_? _Why do I keep feeling this way?  
_I cough a little to get rid of the feeling then ask her "Why were you staring at me then?"  
"I was just watching your hands then I noticed that your eyelashes are really long." Katniss says.  
"That's it? That's why?" I ask her and she nods.  
"Remind me why I'm doing this again?" I say.  
"Because, you dozed off in the classroom, your elbows kept bumping my pen while you were asleep, you wasted my time writing notes enough for you to understand and because you love me." She says.  
"Because I love you huh?" I say in my most seductive voice and I scoot closer to her and put my hand around her shoulders.  
Katniss starts laughing at my poor attempt at seducing and says "Just keep copying down my notes" She says and turns her head to mine. I suddenly realise that our faces are too close. I can feel her breath on my face and I have this feeling that I wanna lean in and kiss her. Instead, I look into her grey eyes and she looks into my blue ones and I feel that thing again, only this time its in my chest.  
"Look, just this last one about atoms and then you're free to go for the rest of the break, but your are doing this after school" Katniss tells me while poking at my chest, right where that hungry feeling is.  
_Does she know? Does she know what I'm feeling in my chest right now and how she's the one that causes it? Does she know?  
_"You have no idea...the effect you can have" I say instead. There are times like these with Katniss where I just can't keep my mouth shut and say what I feel. What I say just make things more awkward.  
She leans her head in and for a second I think she's about to kiss me. Instead she just wiggles my nose with her nose. She smiles and whispers "Is that suppose to be a compliment?"  
"I guess so." I say.  
"just finish writing that lot. Ok?" She tells me.  
"Ok" I say and do what I'm told.

* * *

When lunch has finished that day, I tell Katniss to wait for me by my locker because I need to go to the toilet. When I'm in the toilet, I wash my face and just try to think of why I keep feeling this thing in my chest. I stand there and just look at myself in the mirror.  
_Do you know? Do you know why you're getting these feelings?" _  
No, I don't know I tell myself. I should just get out of here, Katniss must be looking for me. I walk down the hallway to where my locker is and I see the back of Katniss's head and see the usual braid she has on, she's opened my locker again to look through my stuff and make sure I don't have anything 'funny' in them. Katniss and I share our combination locks because we basically trust each other. I walk up to her and start hugging her from behind. I bury my face in her neck.  
"Hey, how was your bathroom break?" She asks and lets out a chuckle.  
I chuckle and look up to rest my head on her shoulders.  
"What are you looking at?" I say.  
"I was just checking if you gave your English homework in," she says. I love it when she worries about my school work and help me keep my grades up. "Looks like you did."  
"Well, I did. Thanks for helping me with that by the way." I mention.  
"No problem" she tells me, I kiss her neck as a thank you.  
It tickles her because she lets out a small laugh.  
"What is with you Peeta? Giving me your worst ever seductive voice, hugging me and kissing me in the neck" Katniss asks.  
"I just missed you I guess,"  
"You went to the toilet."  
"I was gone far too long,"  
"You were in there for five minutes" Katniss says obviously.  
I reach for her hand inside my locker and twist her around so now she's facing me.  
"I know. Let's just get to your favourite class. Music." I tell her with less enthusiasm.  
"You wanted to be in every class I was in, it's not my fault I enjoy Music as much as you do."

* * *

When Katniss and I are outside their door after we walked home from school I had this sad feeling that I wont see her again until tomorrow.  
"Prim and mum are probably out grocery shopping." Katniss says after she realises that her mum's car is gone.  
"So I'll see you tomorrow then" I tell her.  
"I'll see you tomorrow" she smiles and kisses me on the cheek and gives me a hug. I hug her tightly because something inside me doesn't want to let go. She tries to let go but I keep a firm grip on her.  
"No, not yet." That's what I tell Katniss when she tries to let go.  
"Make sure you do you're homework and call me of you have a problem" She tells me but I'm not letting go anytime soon.  
"Peeta, you have to let go of me sometime"  
"I don't want to, I don't wanna leave you yet"  
"We'll see each other tomorrow anyway" she reassures me.  
"Katniss, we live in New York, it's a big place, can't we go somewhere this afternoon or something?" I ask her almost desperately.  
"We have homework and school to think about Peeta, if you finish your homework tonight, I promise you we'll walk around New York tomorrow night."  
This gets my attention and I lean back, but I still keep my hands around her waist and she keep her arms around my neck, lazily playing with the back of my neck.  
"Whole night. You and me? Tomorrow?" I ask her, just to make sure I heard it.  
"Yes. But only if you finish your homework tonight."  
"I will" and this time when she lets go of me I let her go too.  
"Now go home, so that you get time to finish it"  
"Right, I will." I tell her with a smile. I kiss her forehead, say a final goodbye and turn around to walk off.  
I start walking back to the direction I walk to go home. I turn around and she's still watching walk away.  
"I love you! See you tomorrow" She yells at me.  
"I love you too!"I yell back, and then I feel it again that curious thing in my chest. Then something hits me. Maybe that's it, _Do you know? Do you know why you're getting these feeling? _  
Yes, I do.

I love her. Not just as a friend. I've fallen in love with her.

* * *

Wow! finally finished. Hopefully you enjoyed that guys, just keep reviewing and tune in for the next chapters.  
Criticism is welcome.  
Again, I don't own the Hunger Games nor did I make up these characters.

-RestlessIdeas


	3. Homework

Here's chapter 3!  
I just can't stop myself from writing.  
I do not own the hunger games or the characters related to this story, Suzanne Collins does.

This chapter might be a little boring, but it does give a lot of background info. on Peeta and Katniss' family.

* * *

As soon as I get home, I run past my Sam and Charlie (my brothers by the way) and straight away, I throw myself in my room and start cracking at my homework. If mum wants me to do some chores, too bad, she just has to tell Sam and Charlie to do it, because I really want to get all this homework done, there's like 3 hours worth of work in here. I really wanna spend time with Katniss tomorrow. I start with Science and look at the questions. I don't get any of them, it probably had something to do with today's lesson and well, I dozed off then. Man! What am I gonna do. Oh yeah! Katniss' notes. I look through my bag to find those notes I was copying down when we had our first break. And in no time at all, I've finished my science homework.  
Oh, Katniss. What would I do without you. If she hadn't made me copy those notes I would have never finished my science homework. I could just use the internet, but Katniss will know. She always does, she checks my work before I hand them in everytime and she knows whether it was from my brain or the computer's.  
See, the thing with Katniss is that she wants me to pass every school year with flying colours. Whether I get A's,B's or C's she wants me to go to school to actually learn something instead of just complaining day by day about how school is so boring. She always tells me that "Complaining never fixes anything, it'll just make things worse." I smile at that memory, I even lost count at how many times she told me that. When I get through my Maths and Music homework, just as I'd expected, my mum's banging at my door 'to get of my lazy bum and help my brothers with their chores!'

What I hate about my mum is that she hates Katniss with all her guts, she never told me why. There are times when I ask her but she just keeps telling me to stay away form her, I don't stay away from Katniss though when my mum is rude to Katniss, I fight back. I usually get smacked for defending Katniss but no one should talk about Katniss that way. That's why Katniss is scared to come over my house when my mother's around. Unlike my mother, my father adores Katniss just like he adored her mum in their younger years. But instead, her mum married Katniss' dad, a miner, and sadly he died at an accidental explosion when Katniss was just eleven and Prim was still growing up. I remember how me, my dad and my brothers went to his funeral. How Katniss wept and felt depressed for days, which made me feel sad too. I remember how I confronted her by asking my dad if we could take her and Prim out ice skating around Central Park, he accepted happily. I'll never forget that big smile on her face.

If I'm going to get beaten again by my mother tonight because I want to finish all this homework so that I can spend time with Katniss then so be it. Spending time with Katniss is better than spending time with my mum.

"Peeta Mellark! Get out of your room NOW!" my mother screams on the other end of my bedroom door.  
"Mum! Could you _please_ get Charles or Sam to do it! I need to finish all of my homework!"  
"I'm going to count to 3! And if you're not out by then I will beat you so that you wish you were never born!" My mum yells and I know that she isn't joking. I wish dad was here now, because when dad isn't at work I don't get beaten as hard as I do when he is at work.  
"1!" She starts counting.  
I press my fingers in my temples and just take a deep breath.  
"2! PEETA! GET OUT RIGHT NOW!"  
I get up and jog to open that door before she can open her mouth to say three. Just as I open it my mother slaps me square in the face. It stings for a few a seconds then it wears off.  
"How dare you ignore your mother like that! Who do you think keeps your stomach full huh?!" I stare at her in disbelief, as far as I'm concerned. **I** cook for our family almost every night. And dad buys all the food, I mean my mother doesn't even have a job. A least Charles and Sam have finished school and have proper jobs and they too, help keep that fridge full. They don't just use their money for themselves.  
"Mum! That's enough. Just tell Peeta what he's got to do." I didn't even notice Sam run upstairs to see what was going on.  
"Oh! I have a lot in store for you boy! And you will get your beating for ignoring me!"  
"I've made a list of what you have to do while I go out and meet with my friends tonight. And when I come home you better be finished. Otherwise you'll get an extra beating. Do you UNDERSTAND!"  
I nod my nod. She hits me one more time and stomp off to their room to get ready for her dinner.  
Sam starts walking to me and pats my shoulder.  
"Look, why don't you just start the chores while she's here and when she's gone Charlie and I will do it for you. Then you can get on with your homework. Wouldn't want to get and F now would we. Katniss won't be very happy with you." Sam tells me.  
There are times like these when I thank God our family have been blessed with two brothers who will not sit and watch me get hurt but will help me instead.

I finish my homework after my brothers finish with the chores which is around 8:30pm then Charles decides to go out and have a drink. My dad come home from work around 10:00pm and I have no idea when my mum will come. I decided I want to call Katniss, just to say goodnight. When she answers the phone and says 'hello' I smile straight away.

"Hey" I answer back.  
"Peeta, what's wrong? Why'd you call me."  
"Nothing, just wanted to say goodnight..."  
I hear her chuckle on the other end I give myself a little smile.  
"Have you finished your homework"  
"Yep!"I answer with enthusiasm.  
"_All_ of it?"  
"Yes, every bit of it."  
"Good, well I've finished mine hours ago and I am tired. Goodnight Peeta. Sweet Dreams." She sound like an angel...  
"Goodnight to you too"  
She yawns before she hangs up the phone.

I didn't even notice my mother come in, she probably came in when I was talking to Katniss. And just like I expected it she starts yelling at me about how useless I am and she wishes I was never born.  
It hurts, what your very own mother would say to you. But, I've heard worse, much worse. So I just stand there like I always do and just watch her cream at me. When she starts beating me up, the night goes by in a blur. I don't even remember going to sleep. But I do remember a feeling around my right eye. I think my mum hit me there or something, I don't know I'll figure it out when I wake up in the morning.

* * *

Very boring! But I promise a **lot** of Katniss and Peeta on the next chapter.  
Please just please review and tell me what you think. I wil be updating so keep in touch with this story. Cheers!

-RestlessIdeas


	4. Homework is done

I'm back again!  
This chapter carries on from the last one.  
I don't own the Hunger Games.

* * *

A wake up when Charles starts knocking at my door to wake up and get ready for school. As soon as I sit up and start blinking I feel a pang of pain shoot through my eyes and I remember that was the last feeling I felt before I fell asleep. I got to the bathroom and look at my eye, and I guessed it, black as a panda's bottom. My mother gave me a black eye, she might have punched me last night. But I can't let dad see this. Everytime I get a little injury he doesn't want me to go to school then I won't get to spend time with Katniss. I quickly get sunglasses to cover my eyes with.

As we eat breakfast, my mother, Sam and Charles stay quiet about why I'm wearing sunglasses but dad wanted to know why.  
"Peeta, take those glasses off. You're not going out yet."  
I ignore my dad and just keep eating in silence occasionally looking at my mum to see her expression.

I start to get my school things and put them in my bag and I make a mental note to not forget my homework. I half jog and half walk out to the front door. Just before I leave I wanted to ask my dad something.  
"Dad, you don't have work today right? It's Friday, you don;t work Fridays right?  
"Yes Peeta I don't have work today",  
"Oh! I might be coming home late tonight." I tell him.  
"He's probably going to spend time with his girlfriend! Katniss...right?" Charles says when he passes us to go to the kitchen. And I blush again, everytime they tease me I blush.  
My dad doesn't keep teasing me though and simply smiles.  
"She's a very beautiful girl isn't she?"  
"Dad, please. Were just friends"  
_I wish it was something more_. I tell myself  
"Alright, better walk fast to get down to their house, don't want to be late." my dad tells me.

Just when I close the door I hear my mum through the open window.  
"You didn't let him off and spend time with that girl again did you?" I hear my mother say.  
"Let him go, if he wants to spend time with her then let him. I don't see what the problem is," He shoots back.  
"He has chores to do!" My mother says frustrated.  
"Everyone needs a break once in a while, Peeta does everything around the house."  
I smile and I walk the rest of the way to Katniss' house happily.

As soon as Katniss sees me wearing those sunglasses she takes it off my face to reveal a really black eye.  
"You're mum did this again didn't she?"  
"I'm fine, really. I am."  
"It's really swollen, my mum's still inside. Why don't we go in and get her to look at it." Katniss implies.  
"no, its okay. Really." I tell her.  
"Stop being stubborn. Come on!" She pulls me inside her house and immediately I'm greeted by a very jumpy Primrose.

While Katniss' mum checks my eye I look at Katniss and she's quiet again. I know why she's like this. She doesn't like people that are hurt, ill or injured. Its kind of like her weakness. When her mum invites Prim or Katniss at her work down at the hospital for the night just to have a tour around. Katniss never goes, she stays home alone for the night but her mother tells me that she is alone and that where I come in. There was one time when I went out and bought a litre of ice cream and stood out there doorstep, waiting for Katniss to open the door. We spend the night watching movies and eating ice cream until Prim and Mrs. Everdeen comes home. Then Mrs Everdeen drops me off to my house.  
"We should go and give Mrs Mellark a word" Prim says, I smile at her to let her know how much I appreciate it when she cares.  
"You should stop getting your mother angry Peeta, you're lucky your just bruised and swollen." Mrs Everdeen tells me.  
"I don't get her angry, she just has a hot temper. That's all." I say.  
Mrs. Everdeen gives us a ride to school because we spent to mush time paying attention to my eye.

* * *

When we arrive at school I get Katniss to check all the homework that I did last night.  
"Looks like I'm all yours after school" She says and sighs.  
"Well don't say it like that" I tell her.  
"Like what?"  
"Like you don't want to spend time with me"  
"It's not that I don't want to spend time with, I DO want to spend time with...its just, your mum gave you that black eye because you didn't stop doing your homework last night and you didnt listen to what your mum said."  
"Katniss, I would rather listen to you than my own mother."  
She places her hand on my cheek and caresses it, "Peeta...next time, just do what your mum says alright. I don't want you getting hurt." I place my hand over hers.  
"I wouldn't have had time to finish all that homework if I had to do all those chores, then I wouldn't get to spend this Friday night with you" I tell her.  
"We see each other everyday" Katniss says.  
"I know, but its not everyday we can walk around the streets of New York and see the lights at night." I tell her.  
"Peeta please, don't risk getting hurt so that you can finish your work and spend time with me"  
I sigh, "Alright then, if it's what you want."

When lunch came, Katniss and I spent it With Delly, Madge, Cato and Gale. We spend the time talking about my black eye and Coach O'Dair's love life.  
"I don't think he's even married" Gale says.  
"I bet you 50 bucks he has a kid!" Cato says and then they both get into an argument  
"Ladies! Ladies! Stop! There's a lot more of Coach O'Dair to share!" Delly interrupts which sends as all laughing out loud.

Our last period of the day was Art, my favourite class. I had to persuade Katniss alot so that she has Art class with me, she did the same trying to get me into Music. Even though Katniss isn't a big part of Art, she never complains. She actually enjoys learning different ways of drawing and mixing colours together. It makes me feel bad because I'm not much of a music person. Katniss plays the piano though and when we have Music I usaully complain about how complicated it is to read a musci sheet if you don't play an instrument and you don't pay attention in class.

"Alright everyone, take a seat behind an easel. We were sketching what as on our mind last week. Today, were going to be painting. Come on, get to an easel." Mr Naps, our art teacher, says.  
Katniss and I find a place at the back and sit next to each other.  
"I wonder what he'll make us paint this time" Katniss mumbles.  
"I dunno, maybe his bold head or his scary smile." I tell Katniss and she giggle a bit.  
"Your his favourite in this class, you know, and he hasn't even asked you about your black eye." Katniss says.  
"I am not his favourite and I don't want everyones attention on my black-ass eye." I tell her.  
"Ok so...what I want everyone to do today is just concentrate on trees."  
"Trees? Why trees?" Marvel asks from the front of the class.  
"Because, I just love the different green colours trees have." Mr Naps says.  
"So, what I want you to do is paint me a tree with a very different shade of green, I don't want it to be plainly green, mix some colours together, make it look like the sun's shining on the tree and add a little orange for the sunshine, whatever you guys want. This is basically so that I can mark you on your 'Arts Ideas'. You may now start"  
I know that Katniss will enjoy this lesoon because she likes trees adn her favourite colour is green. She got into it straight away and started mixing some colours together. I do the same thing. After about 20 minutes Katniss draws a perfect tree, I'm about finished with painting the green because I have found my perfect green colour, and I'm about up to colouring my trunk when Katniss decides that she need my help.  
"Peeta, could you please help me with finding the right green colour because I've been trying for ages and I can't mix one that I want."  
"No worries" I move my stool next to hers and rinse my paintbrush clean of any paint.  
"What kind of green are you looking for?" I ask her.  
"Well, I kinda want a darker shade of green for the shady parts of my tree and then a green that shows peace but a little draker as well. You get what I mean?"  
"Yeah, you have an amazing imagination. Ok, let's find these colours then." I tell her.  
I help Katniss mix some colours to find her perfect green colour. When we've done that I move behind her because she needed my help with painting the shady and unshady part properly.  
"Ok let me just grab my a thinner paint brush" I tell her.  
Then, I start showing her how to paint it nicely an carefully.  
"Like this?" she asks me, she pick up her paint brush and moves it around the part that she wants shaded but she's pressing on the paintbrush too hard which causes her hands to shake.  
"Here give me your hand." I take her hand and herlp her grip on it properly.  
"Just relax your fingers a little bit and give them nice strokes." She starts painting again and I keep my hand on hers to help her with her strokes.  
"Peeta! Katniss! Please, show your romantic affection towards each other somewhere else. Oh and Peeta, please don't get into any more fights. I don't think I like seeing you eyes black." Mr Naps yells from the front of the classroom and now everyone's eyes are on us.  
Again, I blush and Katniss just says, "You can let go now, I think I can handle it now."  
_I don't wanna let go, not yet anyway _I want to tell her this but instead I just say an ok and then finish painting my tree trunk.

* * *

"So, where do you want to go first?" Katniss asks me.  
"Why don't we just drop your school bag and stuff of at your house then tell your mum your coming home late." I say.  
"I'm going to be with you all night. What about our homework I mea-" I interrupt her before she even finishes the word.  
"Katniss, its Friday. You can do your homework tomorrow or something."  
"Alright then." She says.  
We arrive at Katniss' house and after Katniss tells her mum that she'll be home a little late and to give Katniss a call if there is a problem, Mrs Everdeen look at my eye one more time before we go.  
"Well, there is less swelling. You'll be fine." She tells me before Katniss and I head out the door.  
"Oh and Peeta, you better bring her back safely." Mrs Everdeen says as a last minute word.  
"Where are we going to go first?" Katniss asks me as I take her hand.  
"Where do you want to go first, it's only 3:30 pm and we can walk around the city if you want. Do some shopping too." I say that before I remember that Katniss isn't one for shopping.  
"We could go take a walk around Central Park and go ice skating of you want." Katniss says.  
"I'd love that"  
"I still remember when your dad took me, you and Prim there to go ice skating. Even though it was years ago. I thought I would never be happy once my father dies but I forgot that your always going to be there for me. I've loved ice skating ever since" She tells me and I smile at the memory.  
"I thought I would never see you happy too but when I saw you smiling and laughing with Prim, I knew that I havn't lose my Katniss yet."  
She lays her head on my shoulder as we walk, "You'll never lose me" she says.  
I look down at her hair and the way her mother has done her braid. I smile at the braid and I tell mydelf that that is one od the things I love about Katniss, her braid.  
"I love you," I say.  
She looks up at me and smile which make me get those funny feelings again.  
"I love you too," She says which makes me smile wider.  
I knew as soon as Katniss says 'I love you too' she doesn't feel the same way. She doesn't say it with a strong feeling like me, even though she probably never realises. But that doesn't make me love Katniss any less, it makes me want her more because if there's one thing I want, I want Katniss to love me back just as much as I love her. I hold her hand tighter.  
I feel so lucky, so lucky that I fell in love with Katniss, my best friend.

* * *

Chapter 4 done! next Chapter will be thier night together. Man! It take 10 times as long to write this than read it. Please review, because reviewing will make me keep on writing. If there are no reviews, there will be no writing. Readers's opinions are very important to me.

-RestlessIdeas


	5. I Don't Want To Go Home Yet

This is chapter 5. Its just basically their night out together.  
Please review, I beg you! Reviewing will help me know if you like it or not and it will keep me writing.  
Hopefully you'll enjoy this and thanks for the people who added this as their favourites. :D  
I do not own the Hunger Games.

* * *

"Just follow the way I'm moving my feet Peeta."  
"I haven't gone ice skating in moths Katniss, how do you expect me to get this in one go!"  
"You can do it! I know you can, I'll keep hold of your hand to keep you balance and just copy the way I move my foot. You'll learn it in no time."  
So I take her hand and start doing as she says. I follow the way she moves her feet around and every now and then I would feel like I would just slip and fall but she has tight grip on my hand.  
"See Peeta. you're doing it." I give Katniss a big smile and say, "Yeah, I am. You were right, It is easy."  
"Man! This is fun!" I say.  
"Peeta I'm going to let of you now, ok." Katniss tells me then she start releasing her grip on my hand.  
"Wait! What! No, not yet!" I grab hold of her hand as soon as I feel myself lose balance which makes Katniss stumble and she falls on top of me.  
My beck hits the ice and I suddenly feel a little cold. Katniss lifts her head from in between my shoulder and neck. She leans back to look to me.  
"I'm sorry, I shoudn't have done that. Are you okay?" She asks me with some actual concern in her voice.  
"I think I'll be fine. It's really cold though" I tell her.  
She smiles at me and I smile back.  
_It would be so easy to just kiss her rightnher, right now._ I shake my head to stop my thoughts.  
Katniss sees this and asks me, "What's wrong did something hit your head or something."  
"Uhhh, yeah...I think."  
"This is a little awkward, were laying down on top of each ther in the skating ring here in Central Park. People are starting to look at us. Why don't we just get up and I'll have a quick look at your head."  
Honestly, I like Katniss on top of me, but I do find it uncomfortable laying down on this thick snow.  
She helps me up and help skate down to the sides.  
"Ok turn around, let me have a look." I do as she says and just let her examine the back of my head.  
She starts running her hand through my hair and pressing on some areas to check if I have a bump and ocasionally asking me if it hurts.  
"You're fine Peeta. Do you want to keep skating or are you too chicken to move?" She says with a smile, I turn around and say, "I fell because you scared me by letting go of my hand, that doesn't mean I'm scared about going back in and skating again."  
"So you can skate by yourself then, without my help." Katniss says.  
"Of course, I can." I tell her.  
"Prove it, if you catch me. You can choose where were going to eat dinner tonight."  
"It would be my pleasure." And as soon as I sais that Katniss took off.  
Katniss is really good at skating, I can tell because everytime I'm close to closing my arms around her she speeds up just enough for me to miss her by a few centimetres, then she takes off again.  
"You'll never catch me!"  
"I will catch you! And when I do, I'll hold you so tight you won't be able to get away!" I yell back, but Katniss just laughs and speeds of again. After a few more minutes of failed attempts at catching her I finally have her cornered and I'm completely out of breath, she can't make a quick escape on either side beacause there are way too many people. I quickly wrap my arms around her and she yelps.  
"Gotcha!" I say.  
"Oh, alright then, just let me go"  
"Nope! Not until you give back what you said about me being a chicken and say that it was accident when I fell down, that I didn't lose my balance." I tell her.  
"Why?" She asks me with a small smile.  
"Because you made me feel weak." I say and make myself look upset.  
"Aww, I made strong Peeta look weak now did I?" She says in a babyish voice then takes her hands off my chest and wraps them around my neck.  
"Well I don't want too. I think you did lose your balance and you just don't want to say so." She continues.  
"Well, now there's no way I'm letting you go." I say.  
"You have to let go somehow"  
I move closer and close the gap between us, "Not until you apologize for calling me a chicken."  
"You look incredibly handsome when your out of breath" She says and taps the tip of my nose.  
I could just do it lean in and kiss her, but I'm scared because I'm a chicken. Maybe Katniss is right.  
"You want to go and get ice cream?" Katniss asks.  
I shake my head again, "Uhh, yeah I'd love that." I slowly loosen my grip around her and take her hand.  
"Come on then, I'll lead us out of here." I say.  
After we get our skating shoes off, we walk out to find an ice cream van or stand somewhere. When we finally find one Katniss get cookies 'n cream and I get rocky road. We find ourselves a bench to sit and eat at.  
"Peeta, maybe its time you spend days like these with someone else." My heart skips a beat, what did she just say?  
"What? What do you mean?" I ask.  
"I meant...have you ever thought about asking someone else to go out to places like this with you. In other words, how don't you go find yourself a girlfriend"  
"A girlfriend...why would I need a girlfriend when I have you." Katniss turns a shade of red and I blush too after I realised what I just said.  
"Don't you, don't you want to spend times like these with a girlfriend?"  
"What about you? Don't you want to spend your time with a boyfriend?"  
"Peeta, I wasn't the one who took you out here, you took me out here."  
"What difference does it make? And if I will get a girlfriend, she'll come along when she will." I say, _I think she already has. _I shake my head again to stop bring me back to reality, it always works, shaking my head.  
"Why do you always do that? Shake your head, I mean."  
"Oh, its just sometimes I think about something and well I shake my head to stop myself from thinking any further."  
"Oh," Katniss says.  
We eat our ice cream and take a walk around Central Park. Katniss and I find a good spot under a tree and I found myself laying down in her lap while she plays with my hair.  
"Katniss?"  
"Hmmm...?"  
"Well, sometimes...I, uhhh..." _Should I say it? What if I just ruin out friendship?  
__Just say it! Come on! It's now or never!_  
"I'm really hungry, can we go find a place to eat at?"  
"I was just thinking about that. What time is it?" I look at my watch and reply "It's just a little after 5."  
"I'm hungry anyway. Since you caught me a while ago, where are we going to be eating?"  
I shrug, "I don't know, McDonalds?"  
"Yeah, sure I'd love to eat at McDonalds" Katniss says.

* * *

"We would like 2 large fries, 1 medium Coke, 1 large Coke, 1 Cheese Burger and one 12 pack nuggets." I tell the person at the register.  
"Is that all?"  
"Yep"  
"Ok, could you please take a table number and we'll get your order ready as soon as we can"  
"Cool thanks" I take number 8 and walk back to where Katniss is sitting and waiting for me. I sit down next to her because the seat is like a mini sofa, the ones they use at diner's.  
"Hey there, I've finished ordering. they'll take our order down here." I tell her.

When our order arrives we start eating them straight away.  
"Want some fries?" Katniss asks me,  
"Hell yeah."  
"Open."  
I open my mouth and she feeds me some fries.  
"Want a bite of my burger?" I ask her.  
"Yeah ok,"  
"Open." I tell her and she gives a little laugh because that was what I said.  
She opens her mouth and I give her a bite of my cheeseburger. She gives an approving smile and I smile back.  
We spend our time talking and we even a conversation about my black eye.  
"Can I take another close look at it?" Katniss says.  
"Yeah, just be careful not touch the bruise", I tell her.  
She leans in closer and takes a closer look at my eye. Her fingers feel so soft and it kinda tickles, I find myself smiling and she notices straight away.  
"What are you smiling about?" She asks me.  
"It tickles, that's all." I say. She, too, gives a little smile.  
"Peeta, why does your mum do this too you? I mean, its unfair."  
I sigh, "I don't know Katniss. She probably doesn't like me."  
"But she doesn't hit your brothers..."  
"She probably used too, but now she just gets mad at them."  
"Well, I don't want her to hurt you again." She says with a frown.  
"Don't worry, she only hits me if she starts saying horrible things about you and I argue with her. I mean, she hits me if I don't do my work properly but she beats me harder if I tell her to stop saying bad things about you. At the end of the day, all that hitting would be worth it because I tried proving her wrong about you." I say.  
She looks like she's about to cry and straight away I wrap my arms around her and she snuggles into my chest.  
"Hey...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you like that." I say  
"Peeta please don't make her hurt you again."  
I kiss the top of her head. "I wont, Katniss I won't. Lets just try to enjoy the night without worrying about my mum alright."  
"Okay."

Katniss and I spend the rest of night walking around the streets and window shopping. Around 9 o'clock, Katniss and I found a bench to sit at so that we can watch the lights around the building.  
"The lights are just so beautiful." I say.  
"Yeah..." Katniss says and the she drops her head on my shoulder.  
"You know, if your tired and you want to go home we could catch a cab." I start saying.  
"No, I'm good. I don't want to go home yet." She says.  
"Me too." I say.

* * *

Please keep in touch for the next chapter.  
I might not be able to upload daily but I will try to get my stories uploaded.  
Please review if you have any queries, questions, critism or comments.  
Thanks!

-RestlessIdeas


	6. An Awkward Moment

Heylo there.  
I am having fun writing these story for you guys. I will try to update as much as I can.

* * *

I wake up at the sound of my alarm clock. It's Monday, basketball try outs are today. I'm actually pretty excited for try out today. I'm actually pretty psyched. My black eye doesn't look very black anymore. As soon as I got home on my night with Katniss my dad saw my black eye and that led them to mum and him into an argument. I stayed in my bed and busied myself with homework, I really don't care about my parents fighting. If it stops my mum from hitting me for a few days then that's fine with me.

I go down to eat breakfast, then I brush my teeth and leave my hair all messy. Brushing my hair will just make me accidentally hit my eye. I put on shorts for my basketball try out this afternoon and a black shirt. I get my lunch and things ready for school then start walking to Katniss' house.

During the weekend I couldn't stop thinking about Katniss, I really couldn't. I couldn't stop thinking about her smile, laugh and touch. I think about how I'm falling for her everyday. As I think about it, I start to get scared. What if she doesn't love me back, we've had a conversation about this before I wasn't really paying attention to what she says about having boyfriends because I didn't know I loved her then. But I think back to it and how she said she doesn't want to have a boyfriend or get married. She told me she didn't want to fall in love too deep like her mother and have her husband die. She's scared that the same things might happen to her just like it did to her mother. She is right about her mother, she hasn't been the same ever since, hasn't smiled a lot, how she spends a lot of time working and how she tries to take care of her children and stay strong for them. She's getting better actually, she wasn't as bad as she was a few years back. How she was in her own little world.

Katniss is just scared to fall in love. And it scares me too. Now that I know I'm in love with her, I have to change her mind. To tell her that falling in love is good, that its almost a blessing. Yeah love hurts, if you don't play it right. But if you fall in love with the right person you're going to be happy for the rest of your life.

I just don't know how to tell her that.

* * *

When Katniss and I arrive at school, Katniss wanted to go to the toilet. So, I stand just outside the girls toilet when I hear the all familiar cheers and voices of the biggest assholes of the school. The football team. I don't move or run away though, because at any moment Katniss could come out of that bathroom and she would be teased, and so I stand there and pray that they won't kill me and I'll make it to class in one piece. When they turn a corner and see me, Gale Hawthorn recognises me straight away.  
"Hey! Look who it is, it's that Mellark boy who tried out for football last year." Darius says.  
"Oh yeah! Hey prettyboy, are you thinking about trying out again this year?" The boy on Darius' right side says, I don't know him but I do recognise him from football and form my tryout last year.  
I Ignore them and look at the wall in front of me instead.  
"You trying to ignore us so that you can hide your shame, are ya?" Darius snickers.  
Just then the bathroom door opens and Katniss steps out. _Wrong time to come out Katniss? _I start thinking.  
"Oh! Who's this? Your girlfriend. Boy this party is just getting started." Darius says and the whole team smile an evil way.  
They make up the lamest mean things to say, like the worst. Katniss turns around and give them a death glare.  
"Oh wow. Hey prettyboy, your girl is looks pretty fine." Darius starts saying.  
I take Katniss' hand straight away and start walking.  
"Hey! Where do you think your going? At least leave the girl, I wanna get to know her for a little bit."  
Katniss stops walking and I know straight away that what she's about to do will piss Darius off. She throws her hand up and flip her middle finger up.  
Darius' smile fades straight away.  
"Get them." He says.  
His friends start running towards us and I hold Katniss' hands tighter and run for my life. The bell rings to let us students know that it is time for class. The people on the hallway that was watching us running away from Darius and his friends decide to go straight to class.  
Katniss is a faster runner than I am and so now she's the one pulling at my hand. Seeing as Katniss is the one leading us, she runs straight to the Maths room. I know why, because that's our first class. We could just run into any class but all the doors are closed in this hallway and Gale and his friends are close behind. We have no time to barge into any classroom.

When I see the familiar number posters around the front door of the Maths room. I know that if Mrs Chandler does not close that door. Katniss and I literally sprint the few metres to the maths classroom.  
When we bolt straight into the maths room, Darius and his friends stop running straight away and bump into each other.  
"Oh! Darius and..._friends__. _I thought I don't get you boys until later this afternoon. Now... Get to class!" Mrs Chandler bellows.  
Gale gives Katniss and I a glare. _It was just a finger! Who gets mad over a finger!_ I tell myself.  
"You better watch your back pretty boy. I'm coming for your girl." Darius says directly at me.  
"Darius! Was that a threat? Do you want me to speak to Coach O'Dair about your behaviour and have him change is mind about making you play next month's game?" Mrs Chandler spits at him and now I feel guilty about not listening to her in class.  
"Sorry Mrs Chandler. I'll try to get to class at an earlier time. Come on boys." And with that Darius and his friends turn around and walk off.

By now the whole class is looking at us and I realise I'm holding onto Katniss hand. Upon Katniss seeing this, she lets go immediately.  
"Mr Mellark and Miss Everdeen, because you are late to class how would you like to spend 15 minutes of your first break with me?" She says.  
Katniss and I says nothing. Mrs Chandler sighs and says, "Please, take your seat now and try to get through this lesson without any...distractions."

* * *

After spending 15 minutes of our first break in Maths(and yes, it was 15 minutes, exactly,) Katniss wanted to go find Madge and Delly I didn't want her to because I don't want her to encounter with Darius and his mates. But she somehow convinced me that she can look for Madge and Delly herself. I go look for Gale and Cato to talk about the basketball tryouts but I don't mention Darius.  
"I don't want to do it." Gale says.  
Cato and I look at him in disbelief, "Why not! You love basketball." I ask him.  
"I just don't feel like its going to take me anywhere." He sighs, "Dude, if we can't get into football we might as well try basketball." Cato tells him.  
Gale just shrugs, "We'll see if I feel like it in the afternoon.

And afternoon came soon enough. Katniss had convinced Madge and Delly to stay the afternoon with her in the gym watching Cato, Gale and I try out. Us 3 boys leave our bags with the girls and get ready to get down from the stands to where Coach O'Dair is talking with the other boys who are also trying out.  
"Wish me luck." I tell Katniss, "I already know you're going to get in." She says and gives me a peck on the nose before Cato and Gale calls me to get down. And then I hear Madge and Delly teasing Katniss again.  
Try outs start and we begin with dribbling, then we run laps around the gym and, my favourite, shoot hoops. By the time the hour finishes Madge and Delly's voice sounds very hoarse when they try cheering again. Gale, Cato and I just shake our heads and laugh because Katniss seems to be checking of her left ear is working fine.  
"Alright. Thanks for coming boys, remember when you come to school in the morning, take a look at the notice board and have a look if your name is in there. You all did extremely well today."  
We all start walking back to the girls to get our stuff, the other boys instantly head down to get a shower.  
"How'd we go?" Gale asks the girls.  
"Alright, Cato did well in the running, Gale was good at defending and Peeta did awesome at shooting." Madge replies.  
The rest of the girls nod their heads. "Now go take a shower, because you're all starting to stink." Katniss says and covers her nose.  
"Yeah..."Delly mumbles.  
The three of us look at each other and say "Nah!" in unison.  
"What! What do you mean 'nahhh'?" Delly says in shock.  
"Chill, we'll just take a shower when we get home." Gale says.  
"Gross! I'm not sitting next to you on the bus." Madge tells Gale and we burst out laughing.  
"Wanna take the bus home today Katniss?" I say.  
"Yeah, I'm alright with that.' She says.

* * *

We find a seat at the bus and let the driver drive us home. When we reach the stop near Katniss' house we say a goodbye to Delly, Cato, Gale and Madge.  
By the time were at her door step, its that time again. Where we say goodbye for the day.  
"You did really good at basketball today, you'll surely get in tomorrow." She tells me.  
"Thanks, hopefully. I really wanted to get into football though." I say.  
"Well, at least you'll get into basketball."  
"Who knows, we'll just check the notice board tomorrow."  
"Goodbye then, see you tomorrow." She says then starts opening the door, for a second I get confused. This is weird, we don't say our goodbyes like this.  
"Where's my hug and kiss." I say.  
Katniss turns around and says, "You don't get one." My weird face then turns to a sad face.  
"Why?" I say, she smiles at my disappointment and says, "Because, you didn't take a shower."  
"What!? Is that it? That's why I don't get a hug from you? That is so unfair."  
"You stink!" She wrinkles her nose.  
"Well I'm getting a hug from you no matter what. I then start moving towards her then she starts running down their front lawn.  
"You'll have to catch me first!" She yells. Things little things just make me love her more and more. _I like the way she plays. _She drops her bag and starts running. I drop my bag and start chasing after her.  
We run around the front lawn.  
"You want your hug! Run faster than that!" She yells at me, I find it fascinating that Katniss is a faster runner than me, but right now all I want to do is be as fast as her so that I can catch her.  
Then an idea hits me.  
I run a little faster and then let out a cry and fall down on the grass.  
"Ow!" I yelp.  
Katniss stops running immediately and turns around and starts jogging towards me.  
_IT WORKED!  
_"Are you okay? What happened?" Katniss asks and she sounds so concerned.  
"I just..." I say and I look up at Katniss then smile. She sees the grin on my face and knows that she's been played at. Before she can run away any further I pin her down on the ground and we have a mini wrestling match. When I try to pin her down she quickly wraps her legs around my hips then pushes me to the right side and now she's pinned me down. Man, this girl is strong.  
"Ha!" Katniss yells by the time she's forced my arms down. I know there's no way I can escape, Katniss is straddling her legs in around my hips and has my hands pinned down. Then I come to a realisation at the lack of space we have between us, I smile at how close we are.  
"Katniss, does this mean I don't get my goodbye hug?"  
She gives me a small smile, "Your not getting a hug anytime soon." She says.  
"Oh!" And I can hear the disappointment in my voice.  
Katniss' smile fades then she starts sitting up and I do the same thing. She's still straddling around my hips and I feel like were in an awkward position. She places her hands on my chest and sigh.  
"Does a hug from me really mean that much to you?"She says but she keeps her head down.  
"Yes, it actually does. Now that I think about it." I say.  
She then looks up at me with confusion. "Why?" She asks almost suspiciously.  
"Because...I uhhh wel- its no-." I find myself choking at my own words.  
I take a deep breath and say, "Katniss, you are so beautiful, who wouldn't want to hug you."  
Hopefully she doesn't find that weird and decide to run inside their house. Instead, she looks up at me, she doesn't look confused, angry, sad or even happy. She's just looking at me and its making me get those funny feelings again. I want her to say something and not just look at me like that. A strand of hair falls to her cheek and I reluctantly place it behind her ear. I lose my balance for a second when I did that because I was just balancing on one hand and I have Katniss on my lap. We just stare at each other for a few seconds then I find myself leaning in. Katniss realises what I'm about to do but she doesn't lean back or lean in, she just stays where she is. Our lips are about to meet when a car gives a loud 'beep!'

I suddenly stop what I'm doing and then look to my right to the road. Mrs Everdeen's car is just a few metres away form their driveway. She must have seen the awkward position we were in and decided to ruin the moment. We find them parked in their driveway in not time at all and then Prim opens the car door and then she stares at us. Mrs Everdeen does the same. Katniss clears her throat, takes her hands of my chest then start getting off of me. I look down at my lap then stand up as well. I turn around to look at where Katniss is going, but I just see her open the door and then enters their house, leaving the door open for Prim and her mother.  
"Good afternoon Peeta." Prim says with a playful grin.  
"How was your basketball tryouts today." Mrs Everdeen says. Thank God didn't mention a while ago's event. "Katniss told me their was a basketball try out today. That's why she said she was going to come home a little late." She continues.  
"It was fine, hopefully I get into it though. We'll just check the notice board tomorrow." I say.  
"Do you want to come in?" Prim asks.  
"Oh no Prim. I have to go home before my mum gets angry."  
"Your black eye looks better." Mrs Everdeen says. "Well, see you tomorrow."  
I walk back to their doorstep to grab my bag but I don't look inside their house.  
"Bye Peeta!" Prim yells while I walk away.  
"See ya Prim!" I yell back.

* * *

Done! It took me 2 days to write this. Keep in mind that it takes a long time to write these things. I'm keeping these chapters long for you guys so that you don't have to wait a long time just for short ones. Do you get it?  
Anyways, please review and keep in touch while for the next chapter. It's Friday tomorrow so I might get to write 3 chapters at least for the night. Thank you for the people who likes my story and this is my first fanfic. I'm new to Fanfiction bt the way.

Again, please review and tell me what you think.  
Thanks.

-RestelessIdeas :D


	7. No One Talks About Katniss That Way

Hello again,  
Thank you for the comments on the last chapter, means sooooo much. And thank you for the people who are following me and for adding me as their favourites. :))  
I don't own the Hunger Games.

* * *

After I got home this afternoon I tried to think of what I'm going to do. Maybe leaning in wasn't a very good idea but I was so lost in the moment. I might have just ruined our friendship!  
Peeta, you are so stupid!  
But she was so close to me, I couldn't help it!  
I spend the rest of the afternoon doing chores and trying to keep my mind off of Katniss. I'm so scared that we might not be friends again. When I thought about this it saddens me and gives my chest a different kind of feeling. Hurt, heart break, sadness, you name it.

So now I'm lying in my bed. I can't even sleep. I turn over and look at my alarm clock, it's 9:50 pm. I didn't even do my homework, after I cooked and we ate dinner, I just ran straight into my bedroom and lock myself in here. My mum thought that I was doing my homework ,so, to make my life more miserable she would knock really loud at some time in the afternoon and tell me to do something again.  
_What am I going to do?_  
I'm so scared. I wan't to do something, anything to fix this. To apologise to her even for my awkward actions.  
That's it! I can't take it anymore. I have to see her, even just for a minute. I need to know how she feels.  
I grab my jacket and slowly tiptoe out the front door. My mum is asleep in her bed and I hear Chris' familiar snoring in the couch, Sam's gone to bed too. I think about taking Dad's car but then Dad hasn't decided on giving me driving lessons yet, I take the house key instead. I decide that I'm just going to walk. I slowly walk to the direction of Katniss' house and think about what I would say when I get there. That I'm sorry, I didn't know what I was doing or that I have been in love with you for a while now and I haven't realised until a few days ago.

The walk to Katniss' house takes longer because I was walking really slow and I can't think of what to say.  
So now I'm standing here out in their front lawn and I look to the spot on where Katniss and I had our mini wrestling match.  
I slowly walk to the side where Katniss's large window/door and the little terrace to her bedroom is. I catch a sight of a little pebble and pick it up.  
Should I throw it? I mean, her lights are closed. Just throw it!  
I throw the tiny pebble to her window door thing and it makes a small sound. I pick another one and throw it again, I give a low grunt when nothing happens. I think of something else to do and then I see her terrace and I have an idea. I slowly climb on the woodwork walls of their house and then when I make it high enough I jump to the terraces's fence line and now I'm hanging on dear life and hopefully I don't fall. I try to re position my hand on the wooden thing and try to push myself up. I get confused when I hear the sound of the glass door opening.  
"Peeta! What are you doing here?!" I hear Katniss say quietly but angrily.  
I slowly look up just enough to see Katniss' feet walking towards me and I feel her help pull me up. When she's finally got me over the fence line I stand up, giver her a small smile and say, "Thanks."  
"Thanks?! You could've have fell and broke your neck or something! What were you thinking?"  
"Well...I- I- I jus-" And again, I found myself looking for what I have to say. Think, Peeta, think.  
"I just wanted to see you. That's all." I say.  
"Peeta...it's 10:15 pm and there's school tomorrow."  
"I couldn't sleep. _You _kept me up." I say.  
Katniss gives a grunt and a sigh, "Peeta, go home. You need to rest. Come on in and I'll take you down the front door."  
"Wait! No!" I give a sigh, _Come on Peeta, just apologize already. _"I just wanted to say sorry for this afternoon...I'm sorry."  
Katniss stands there again, just looking at me, looking at me with absolutely no expression and so I decide to continue.  
"I just- I was-" Just say it, _I love you, _"I- I- I- I- I was lost in the moment." I close my eyes because I didn't say what I wanted to say. The 3 words that might or might not ruin our friendship.  
"I'm sorry" After I say that I immediately look down at my feet.  
"I'm really sorry Katniss. I just don't want anything to happen to us. If I lost you...I- I wouldn't know what I would do." I look at Katniss and I can see how she's paying so much attention to what I'm saying. "Please, Katniss just please forgive me."  
"Peeta...I- I do. Just...Peeta...go home." She says.  
I feel that hurtful feeling in my chest and I don't like it. I want to say how much I love her so bad, but seeing as apologizing about a very awkward moment doesn't want me here then I don't know what saying I love you will do. Should I risk it?  
"Katniss, please it doesn't have to be this way. I don't want to go until I make things clear with the both of us."  
"Make what clear? That you saying that you were just "getting lost in the moment" will clear things out for us. Because it didn't look like it. It looked liked you knew exactly what you were doing." She hisses at me.  
"Why can't you just help yourself from doing the wrong thing Peeta?"  
For a second I feel really hurt and then I start to feel angry.  
"Me! You want me to help myself around you! And how am I suppose to do that exactly?! Look, if you don't want me here then I'll go but I just wanted to say sorry." I spit back and then I hear the silent movement of the trees and the driving cars, were both so silent.  
She just looks at me angrily, "Just go."  
She says and starts pointing to her bedroom meaning she wants me to walk out the front door. But I'm too angry to even move right now. I walk all the way to her house at 10:00 o'clock on a Monday night to say apologize and she tell me to leave. I can't blame Katniss for getting all mad at me. I blame myself for being stupid and not stopping myself from doing stupid things around Katniss, so that means that I'm angry at myself but I'm putting it out on Katniss.  
"What's that supposed to mean" I say in disbelief.  
"It means that I don't want you here right now! I don't to talk about this. I just wanna forget about it."  
"And how does me leaving help exactly?" I ask her.  
"I don't know! I just does okay! I don't want you here, not now anyway!" She yells, she takes breath, "Look, I just want to have my time to think alright."  
"I came here to apologize to you! Do you have any idea what my mum would be doing to me right now if she realises that I'm gone!" I yell back at her and hopefully no one inside their house can hear us. "What happened today was an accident, I know it feels really weird and that it gave you a lot to think about! But it gave me a lot to think about too! If you don't want me here fine!" I hear my voice getting higher as I say this.  
"Peeta, its not like that-"  
"Oh! What now? You yell at me telling me how you don't want me here and now you wanna say what exactly?" I say with such an angry voice I've never used at anyone before but Katniss right now. "You're hurting me Katniss..."  
I see a look of guilt on her face and I almost feel bad but then the anger inside of me make me feel absolutely nothing for her.  
"I don't want this to ruin our friendship." She says.  
I sigh and we have a long awkward silence.  
"I don't want it too either, but I think it would be best if we stayed away from each other for a while. Until we sort ourselves out anyway." I say, and with that I walk past her and walk through bedroom and in no time at all I'm unlocking the front door, closing and locking it and then walking back to the direction of our house.  
I make it back home and I try to get some sleep but I can't. When I relax a little bit I think about what I've just done.  
_WHAT HAVE I DONE?!_

* * *

While I'm getting my things ready for school I try to think about what I'm going to do.  
It's okay Peeta apologise, even beg if you have to. Just get your friendship back on track. I was so angry last night that I let my bad mood get me. When I'm angry I just push people away, when I'm angry I'm a completely different person. How could me gong over her house to apologise ruin everything. And its all my fault.

I leave the house early because I know that Katniss won't be waiting for me to come pick her up.  
When I reach their house, I was right. She left extra early so that she didn't have to see me. Prim told me she said that she had important things to do at school, so if I come by Prim should tell me that. But Prim knew something was up. Katniss always walk with me.  
I just say goodbye to her and walk to school.

That was probably the longest walk I've ever had and I didn't even take the long cut. When I arrive at school I try to look for Katniss, but I can't see her anywhere. I even ignore Cato and Gale yelling at me that I got into basketball when I pass them at notice board. I just need to look for Katniss, Cato and Gale wouldn't know where she is. When the bell rings I go into my first class, Maths, I know I'll see Katniss there and we'd be able to talk.  
When I arrive, Simon has taken a seat next to Katniss. Simon has had some kind of a mini crush on Katniss around the beginning of the year. He must've seen that I wasn't sitting next to her and he took my place. I feel a little jealous but then I get angry at myself again.  
I look at both of them, Simon is trying to keep a nice conversation with Katniss but I can see that Katniss is trying hard to listen to him but when she sees me standing there she stops talking. Simon doesn't seem to notice but continues talking. I stand there just looking at her until Mrs Chandler's voice distracts me.  
"Peeta, please take your seat. I'm about to start." She says and look at where I should be sitting down next to Katniss and realises Simon is next to her. Confusion crosses Mrs Chandler's face and then she quickly shakes it off. She must have assumed something between us has happened, I guess she would be right.  
I slowly walk to the back of the classroom where there's a free space. For the rest of the Maths session I don't even try to listen. I just try to think, over and over again.  
I was the one who told Katniss that we should stay away from each other. Why did I even say that!  
When Maths finished I quickly run after Katniss. When I reach her I grab her hand to stop her from walking away. She turns around instantly.  
"Katniss..." I say softly.  
I'm about to continue when she slaps me hard, right on the cheek. I keep my composure, I should have expected that. I slowly turn my head to face her.  
"You told me! You told me that we should stay away from each other and now your chasing after me!" She yells. People around the hallway just give us weird looks, others stay to see what is happening and other people just start walking away.  
"I know. I regret that," I say. Katniss doesn't waste anytime, she turns around and walks to English. I don't bother running after her because I know when Katniss is like this. The best thing to do is stay away from her, but I don't want to.  
"Well. Well. Looks like your girl is up for sale." I know that voice, Its Darius'.  
I clench my fists and turn around to face him and I see his football mates standing behind him .  
"She's not for sale." I say.  
"Really? Because her ass could do some smacking." He continues.  
And again rage takes over me, I run to Darius and ouch his face...and hard. He's nose starts bleeding instantly and everyone around the hallway starts to get their phones out and some people stop walking to watch what's going to happen.  
"Get him boys." He says. I don't run away, I just brace myself. I just want to show them that they can't talk about Katniss like that. A guy with spiky hair lands the first punch on my face and I punch his stomach. We keep throwing punches at each other and then I feel another person join him to beat me up.  
"Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!" I hear the crowd of people yell around us.  
"Move! This is my fight now!" I hear Darius say behind me. I can feel my face hurting and my ribs getting soar but I get my fist up to fight some more.  
"Come on pretty boy! You wouldn't think that I'll let you go if you just punch my face."  
"I'm not scared of you." I tell him.  
"Then show me what you got" He says.  
He throws me a punch and I dodge it, I swing at him but then he lands a big kick on my stomach and all of a sudden its hard to breath. I blink my eyes a few times and then I tackle him to the ground. I start throwing punches at him but I just keep on punching the floor and it hurts, but I don't care. Darius starts punching me as well and one lands in my face and right at my black eye.  
"AHHH!" I yell and I feel someone pulling me up. People around the hallway start feeling sorry for me and start pushing some footballers back and telling them to stop. I can feel blood trickle down my face and my visions getting blurry.  
"Hold him up for me boys!" Darius says.  
The people that pulled me up force me to stand and Darius punching my stomach. It gets harder and harder to breath as he punches me and I'm coughing up blood. Other teenagers on the hallway are running away now, looking for a teacher. The hallway were in is packed with lockers so there wouldn't be a class around until the next hallway, that means no teachers nearby.  
"STOP!" I hear Coach O'Dair's loud voice boom around the hallway. I try to look up and then I see Cato and Gale running up behind him. As soon as they see me a look of shock covers their face.  
"Darius! Principal's Office NOW! Your friends can go there too!" And I think that was Mrs Chandler.  
I feel Cato and Gale's arms take my arms and put it around their shoulders.  
"Take him to the nurse's office, and then after we're done with Darius we can get his nose looked at too." Coach O'Dair says.  
"I feel so tired." I tell Gale and Cato. "We know buddy. Lets just take you to the nurse alright." Gale says.  
When we make it to the nurse's office they set me down on a bed and I start to drift off.

* * *

I wake up to the sound of someone humming a song. I remember that song, that the song that..Katniss sang that song. I smile a little when I try to remember it. I was five years old and it was the first day of school. We were sitting down for a mini school assembly for us kindergartens and a teacher asks if anyone here knew 'The Valley Song'. That was the name of the song, 'The Valley Song', I then see a girl's hand shoot straight up, I could only see the back of her head and it was in two cute braids instead of one. The girl slowly starts walking up on the stage and the teacher slowly sits her down on a chair. She starts singing and all of sudden I lose myself in her voice, its sound so pure, so natural and so beautiful. I stare at her until the song ends and I shake my head to come back to reality. I must have started all this head shaking because of Katniss, when I get lost in a daze about her I always shake my head to get back down to earth.  
I hear myself murmuring what I asked her that same day so that I would get to know her better.  
"Hi! My name is Peeta. I like your voice by the way, where did you learn to sing like that?" I remember I said those exact words as soon as Katniss got off the stage.  
I laugh a little and I feel my ribs give hurt, I'm pretty sure that laughing is not a very good idea.  
"Katniss...I think he's awake now. Maybe you can go outside and I can talk to him." I hear Mr. Watson's voice (that's our principal).  
He mentioned Katniss.  
_KATNISS! _ Wait! What is she doing here?  
I quickly try to open my eyes but I can only open one. My black eye, I can feel its swollen and its the one that I can't open.  
"Katniss..." I murmur.  
"Peeta, shhhhh" She assures and starts brushing my hair.  
I hear Mr. Watson sigh and he says, "I guess I should just talk to him afterwards, tell him his parents are coming and the ambulance will soon be here to pick him up and take him to the hospital. I'll talk to his parents when they get here. Lunch will end soon and when the bell goes I want you in your class, Ms Everdeen. I don't think I can allow to go to the hospital."  
"Yes Mr Watson," Katniss says.  
Mr Watson leave and now its me and Katniss.  
"Katniss.." I try to sit up but it hurts.  
"Peeta, Just lie down the Ambulance is coming soon. Darius has done some real damage, what he did could've killed you. Coach O'Dair has taken him out of football along with the guys that laid there hands on you and they got 5 weeks suspension" Katniss starts saying.  
"Oh Peeta why did you have to punch Darius. You got suspended too, just for a week. But you'll be spending it at the hospital"  
I try to reach for her hand but its not there, when she sees this she take my hand in hers.  
"They were talking about you. No one talks about you that way," I say.  
"Peeta...we talked about this. I don't want you getting hurt because of me."  
"It was worth it."  
"No! Peeta it's not! You need to go to the hospital, I heard them talking about it. You have broken ribs and you won't be able to move very far and- and-" Katniss breaks down and starts crying.  
"Katniss...Please, please don't cry." I try to sit up and reach for her but my back decline and my ribs start hurting again so I just lie back down and start wiping her tears away.  
"Come here." I say and she leans down and rest her hands on my shoulders to give me a little hug. My chest starts to give a jolt of pain because she touched it but I don't mind. I just slowly lift my arms up to encircle them around her.  
"Katniss...I'm sorry for what I said last night. I was just angry."  
"Don't worry about it...I'm sorry I yelled at you." She says.  
"No...just-" I give a low groan because our position isn't helping my wounds and bruises. Katniss quickly unwraps herself, "What's wrong? Where does it hurt?"  
"Its okay. I'll be fine." I say and I smile at her. She smiles back and she starts playing with my hair again.  
"I heard...I heard you humming The Valley Song and it reminded me of when we first met." I say with a little difficulty.  
I see her smile even wider, "I would never forget it." She says and then the nurse comes in telling Katniss to go because the Ambulance is here.  
"No. Please don't go." I beg her.  
"I'll visit you in the hospital after school." She kisses my forehead then leaves.  
"Peeta, your parents are not here yet but we gave them a call to just head straight to the hospital." Nurse Lily says.  
_Mum's just probably telling Dad of how much I get into trouble at school and telling him to just go later than sooner._ I tell myself.  
The ambulance people slowly help me into a stretcher and carry to the back of the van.

* * *

"So, Peeta...your schoolmate has done a lot of damage. But I heard it was you who attacked first." The doctor says, "I believe you have a few broken bones, a lot of bruises and its going to hurt. You need to use some painkillers and try not to move to much, I'll make sure people will be around to help you eat, go to toilet and help you do other things. Looks like your friend can really punch."  
"You're parents weren't very happy with you fighting at school. But, witnesses did say that you attacked first, that means your friend only pays half of your hospital bills." He continues.  
"What? How does that work." I argue, "It just does Peeta."  
"I can barely walk or move!"  
"I know but you wouldn't be like this if you didn't attack him. I wouldn't think it was worth it."  
"It was totally worth it." I say, then he looks at me with confusion.  
"Worth it? How?"  
"Because no one talks about Katniss the way he did."  
"Katniss?"  
"Yes, Katniss. She's a friend of mine. I've know her all my life. Is that a problem?" I ask him.  
"No. The name just sounds familiar you mother was talking about a girl being a bad influence to you. That's why you get into school fights a lot and get into trouble." He says.  
My mother says a lot of bad things about Katniss, nit not like this. To tell other people that Katniss is a bad person when she's not. Its just gone too far.  
I feel like I need to defend her, not my mother, but Katniss.  
"What? No. Katniss is like an angel. She means the world to me, my mother just hates her for whatever reason. And this is like, my first fight at school and I do not get in trouble. Katniss is always there to tell me to do the right things. She's not a bad person."  
"I see...Well I don't think you're mother should be saying things like that then." And with that the doctor leaves.  
My family comes in telling me how stupid I was for bringing up a fight. They don't ask me why I fought with him anyway, but I know if I'll mention Katniss while my mother is here. She will probably bury her alive.  
"Your are so full of mischief!" My mother tells me.  
"Enough mum! Can't you see that he's hurt. We've all told him what he's done wrong. I think we give him a break for now." Chris says.  
"I can't stay here any longer! We should go home, get Peeta's stuff and Sam can bring it here in the hospital at later on." My mother says and then she leaves the room.  
"Your mother just never understands." Dad tells me.  
"Don't worry Peeta. We'll make sure mum doesn't find out the _real_ reason why you punched Darius in the face." Sam tells me.  
I give him a look, "How did you know?" I ask him.  
Chris, Sam and Dad share a look, "We know you would only go this far for Katniss." Sam continues.  
"I see the way you look at her, It's just like how I use to look at her mother." Dad says and we all look at him in shock. Dad never really talks about Mrs Everdeen like this, he isn't in love with her now but we've always been wanting to know things about her and Katniss' mother.  
"You don't just suddenly bump into girls like Katniss everyday." Chris mutters.  
"Well, we should go and get your stuff ready. I'm pretty sure the Everdeens will arrive soon and we wouldn't want mum and Mrs Everdeen to have an encounter now do we?" Dad says. We say our goodbyes and they leave.

* * *

I do have plans for Peeta and Katniss. Peeta being in the hospital plays a big part for Katniss. Katniss might or might not discover feeling for Peeta. But...just keep in touch and we'll see.  
Thanks for reading, for your comments, for favouriting (I don't think that is even a word) and for following.  
God Bless!

-RestlessIdeas


	8. The Way You Make Me Feel

Hopefully you guys enjoy this chapter.  
I do not own the Hunger Games. Period.  
Btw...I kinda kept on putting down Chris instead of Charlie as Peeta's older brother. So in case your confused, Chris is supposed to be Charlie. I'm going to call him Chris from now on.

* * *

I start looking at my body and what the doctors and nurses have done to it. They've bandaged my stomach so that when I move it doesn't get affected as much, I got kicked there too and punched a lot so I have a few cuts and bruises from that too. I am shirtless and I have a few patches of band aids around my chest. The hospital has given some pants to use for the time I'm in the hospital. My legs are alright but they do feel a bit numb but I can move my left leg just fine but my right leg has a problem. I probably didn't feel it or remember it, but apparently Darius has kicked my knee cap or one of his friends did and they've bandaged that as well. So I just put the blanket over my legs and I don't bother covering my upper body because it is quiet hot in the hospital even in my room.

I was just watching some 4 o'clock new when my hospital door opens and I see Prim's blonde hair. Followed by Katniss, Mrs Everdeen and my doctor coming. I really should get to know what my doctor's name is.  
"Ahh, little girl don't go jumping on him yet. He will probably cry." The doctor says.  
"Peeta, I heard about what happened at school. Are you okay?" Prim says.  
"I'll be fine, just a few broken bones." I try to sit up a bit more, I managed it but I wince when I lean back.  
"Oh, that's bad. You won't be able to move." Prim says, of course Prim would know this. She always goes to her mum's work down at a different hospital around the middle of the city.  
"Ummm Mrs..." The doctor starts sating to Mrs Everdeen. "Everdeen, I also work at a hospital but I'm just an assistant." Mrs Everdeen says.  
"Do you consider yourself as a guardian to Peeta here, his parents left a while ago and I just wanted to talk to you about Peeta's condition." He continues.  
"Yes, more like a mother actually. Can we go outside and talk about this?"  
"Sure, no problem."  
After they leave the room, Prim keeps asking me question about what certain areas where it hurts when I do move and when I don't move.  
"You have broken a lot of bones. The guy can really throw a punch," Prim says and I chuckle seeing as laughing wont do me any good.  
"That's what the doctor said." I tell her. I look over at Katniss she's sitting quietly at the chair next to my bed playing with the mattress cover, she's quiet again. I look back at Prim and she both gives us a weird and confused look, like she's figuring something out, she quickly shakes her head and opens her mouth to say something.  
"I'm going to go outside, I think you guys need some time alone." She says.  
When she leaves the room, I hesitate and take Katniss' hand.  
"How was your day?" I ask her.  
"Hm? What?" She looks up at me instantly.  
"How was you day?"  
"It was alright, a lot of people asked about you though. Madge and Delly kinda freaked out that you got in a fight with Darius." She manages a smile.  
"Good to know you had a good day."  
We spend the next hour talking and apologizing about last night. After that we get into a conversation about my wounds.  
"He punched me right on my black eye and well...now it's swollen and red. I can't even feel it or open it."  
Katniss takes her hand and caress my cheek, the side with the black eye. She says sorry again softly and kisses my nose and, I get those funny feelings again in my stomach.  
"Please don't do something like that again Peeta. I don't want you to get hurt. Promise me."  
"Katniss...You know I can't promise you something like that. Your more important to me than I am to myself."  
"Why do you have to be so stubborn?" She says.  
"Why do you have to be so beautiful?" I say and she blushes.  
"Why do you have to be so sweet?" Katniss mumbles.  
I'm about to say something when the door opens and a nurse and comes in to bring me some food.  
"You mother and sister just went out to eat. They said they'll be back soon. They wanted to call you to go with them, but they didn't think you'd want to be disturbed. So she paid and we bought food for you too." The nurse says.  
Before she leaves I catch a sight of her name tag and it says Jackie, at least I don't have to keep calling her 'the nurse'.  
Katniss fixes the meal on my lap and while she does that I stare at her.  
_She is so beautiful. _ I think to myself. Katniss catches me staring and she turns her head to look at me.  
"What?" She asks me.  
"You.." I say, "Why don't you help scoot over so that you could lie next to me and we can eat together."  
"I don't think that's a good idea, you can barely move and you look pretty comfortable like that."  
"No, it hurts when I move, that's why its better if I don't move and that's why they say that I can't move because it will hurt. Do you get it?"  
"I do, but I just don't want to hurt you."  
"You won't hurt me. Come here."  
Katniss really doesn't want to hurt me but with a few more please and begging she gives in and helps me scoot moves the tray of food on the side table and then we get to work. She tries not to hurt me and I try reassuring her but trying not to wince or groan but every now and then I wince because I can't help it.  
"This isn't working is it?" I ask Katniss.  
"No, it's not." I say.  
Then all of a sudden I come up with a better idea, it doesn't involve a lot of moving and wincing. I remove the blanket over my legs and slowly spread them apart. Katniss sees what I'm trying to tell her to do but then she shakes her head.  
"That's worse. Your chest and your stomach...they're the ones that is badly hurt." She says.  
"I'll manage it, you don't have to lean on me. Just take you shoes and your jacket off and come on." I tell her.  
Katniss does what I say and slowly climbs in between my legs, "You can lean on me if you want." I say.  
"No. I don't wanna hurt you." She tells me and then she grabs the blanket an wraps it around our legs, she grabs the tray of food from the side table and sets it down on her lap.  
I slowly try to lean forward and wraps my arms around her so that I can reach for the food.  
"Peeta, just lean back and I'll feed you okay, try not to move too much."  
So I lean to back of the bed and Katniss slowly turns her body around completely to face me, she crosses her legs together and I can't spread my legs wider so I just tuck them under her crossed legs.  
"Open." Katniss mutters and I open my mouth and she feeds me some fried rice with chicken.  
_Man, this hospital makes good food, chicken and fried rice. I didn't even know they cook them for the residents here, _I think to myself.  
"That's delicious." I say. "You should try it." I tell her.  
"Okay, if you say so." She takes the spoon and scoops some food in it and the spoon enters her mouth. A look of delight replaces her previous expression and I smile at her.  
"I am so _lucky _to have a friend like you." I say to her and she gives me a small smile.  
"Me too, I mean, to be honest Peeta..If I hadn't met you I-... I just don't know what I would be without you." Katniss tells me and I can feel my heart skip a beat.  
_I'm so lucky I'm in love with you._

Katniss continues feeding me and then she reminds me that I am suspended and that she will bring all the work in everyday after school. After she tells me that and we've finished eating I say, "So, does that mean I still get to see your pretty face everyday while I'm here in the hospital."  
"Of course you will." Katniss tells me and then she turns her body around and I spread my legs apart again. This time I slowly lean into her back and I wince a little but that doesn't stop me. I then wrap my arms around her waist. Katniss doesn't lean back to me, which is good, because it won't hurt my chest. But she tries no to move as much so that my chest and abdomen won't hurt.  
Katniss reaches for the remote from the night stand and turns the TV on. We put it on Cartoon Network and find that Tom and Jerry is on.  
Prim and Mrs Everdeen come in sometime later and see the position were in.  
"Oh!" Prim giggle and covers her eyes with her hand.  
"Prim! Don't be silly!" Mrs Everdeen smacks her hand away from her eyes.  
"I know mum...I was just teasing them..."  
Katniss and I blush a little and I slowly remove my arms around her and slowly and carefully lean back to the headboard of the  
"Katniss do you want to stay or something...I mean we can pick you up around 6 o'clock if you want so that you have time to finish your homework?" Mrs Everdeen says.

I give a pleading look at Katniss for her to stay and she smiles at me.  
"I'd love to stay." She says and I smile from ear to ear.  
"AI have homework to do too. You guys...have fun..." The way Prim said "...have fun..." made both Katniss and I blush and I clear my throat.  
"Prim! You are twelve years of age!" Mrs Everdeen bellows.  
"I know mum, I was just teasing them...again..." She says with a smile.  
"Let's just go. And Katniss, we will pick you up at 6. Your not spending the night here, you have school." Mrs Everdeen inquires.  
"Sure mum." Katniss replies.  
Then they leave the room and were alone again.  
"So..." I say.  
"So..." Katniss repeats.  
"Oh. Were Madge, Cato, Gale and Delly worried about me?"  
"They were actually, they wanted to visit you but their parents wouldn't let them."  
After she says that the door opens and my doctor comes in.  
"Oh." The doctor says with the same kind of expression Prim had on seeing Katniss on the bed.  
"Ummm... How are you Peeta?" He asks.  
"I'm alright. It still hurts though."  
He walks across the room at the foot of my bed and takes a look at some clipboard, I didn't even know there was slot where you could put files in.  
"Well, Peeta I have some good news and some bad news. Good news is, you will be able to leave the hospital in about 3 days and your parents can take care of you then. The bad news is...When you walk, it will hurt. We can't give you crutches because it won't be good for your arms and shoulders but the best we can do is give you a wheel chair. So if you need to take a bathroom break there's this button over here..." He points to a button inserted on the wall. "This will pager Nurse Jackie and she can take you to the bathroom, but seeing as there she is a lady she will exchange you to Nurse Jackson and he'll help you. Oh, and when you get out of the hospital, You should stay off school for at least 2 weeks. You are suspended for a week anyway but I'll give a medical certificate for your other days away from school."  
"Okay got it Doc" I say.  
He looks at Katniss and smiles, "You must be Katniss."  
"I am. How did you know?"  
"This boy is very defensive of you." He then points at me.  
"What have you been saying to him." Katniss looks at me and asks me.  
"Nothing, just how much of a beautiful person you are." I say and Katniss blushes.  
_Why does she have to do that? She looks so cute.  
_"Well, I should just go and leave you two then."  
"Wait! What's your name?" I ask the doctor before he leaves.  
"Just call me Doctor Brutus. I don't like being called by my last name. See you later then Peeta. You can press that button too if you need anything." Doctor Brutus says.  
I give him a respectful nod and he leaves.  
"You know...you look cut when you blush." I tell Katniss.  
"What? I wasn't blushing." She says clearly embarrassed that I saw her blush.  
"Yes you were."  
"I wasn't."  
"You were."  
"I wasn't blushing."  
"You were blushing."  
Katniss sighs and says, "Only because you make me."  
I smile at this, "Well, you make me feel certain things too." I did it again! Spoke without thinking, now she's going to want some answers.  
She looks up suddenly and says, "What do you mean? How?"  
_Moment of truth Peeta._  
"Well, how do I put this. You make me feel...happy, sometimes I even feel curiosity and you make me feel like I'm in heaven."  
_Should I tell her about those funny feelings I_ get.  
"And also...you make...me get these funny feeling. Sometimes in my chest and sometimes in the stomach..." It was a big risk, I said it and there's no going back now. Maybe we'll have another fight again...like the one we had last night. Oh, What have I done.  
Katniss looks up at me almost immediately and looks at my me.  
"...It's true..." I say.  
"I make you feel all those things?" She says with such a soft voice.  
"All of it..."  
"And hopefully I make you fell the same way too.." That was a_ huge_ risk. I just pray that Katniss won't run away or something just 'cause I said that.  
"You do make me feel happy." She says with a smile. I feel a bit sad because she doesn't get the same funny feelings like I do, well she didn't mention it anyway.  
I giver her a friendly smile back and end up staring at her. I feel like I want to take another chance again...to lean in and kiss her, I might as well.  
I carefully try to lean in when my ribs object and I grunt.  
"Peeta, don't move. Lean back." Katniss says.  
"Why'd you do that?" She asks me.  
"I just..." I grunt again and Katniss fixes the pillow behind me.  
"You know that you can't move and you just...you move." Katniss says clearly irritated by my stubbornness.  
_Why? Why is it when I try to kiss her, something always has to stop me. I am obviously pissed_ off.  
"I just wanted to give you a kiss." I say...Why?! Why can't I keep my mouth shut and have to say such awkward things!  
Katniss stops moving my pillow. "What?" She asks me and she sounds really confused.  
"I meant...to give you a kiss...on the cheek or something." I say.  
She tilts her head a little and asks, "Why?"  
"Because...of the way you make me feel."  
"You mean...those funny feelings you get in your stomach...or...because of how I make you happy?"  
"All of it..." I say softly.  
"Peeta...do you...have any idea why you get those feelings."  
"Yes...I do actually."  
"So, why do you get those chills."  
"Because..." _I can't tell her...I'm just chickening out again, aren't I.  
_"Because...you're a very beautiful girl, and I think those feelings are a sign of happiness. Just to let me know of how happy I am around you." I lie.  
A look of disappointment crosses her face. _Huh? Why would she be disappointed? I think I was imagining it?  
_"Okay...I believe you. You don't have to move, I'll just give you the kiss." She says with a smile.  
She leans it to kiss my cheek but when her lips were about yo touch it the door flies open.  
"Hello! We bought yo- oh!" Sam yells as he opens the door, "Sorry..." She says in a loud whisper with a big smile on his face.  
After he says that Chris walk in followed by Dad. The look on Chris' and Dad's face when they see me and Katniss on the bed come as a shock to me. Dad is simply smiling dreamily and Chris looks pretty apologetic because they disturbed us but he's also smiling. And Sam...he's just standing there carrying a bag which probably has my stuff in it for the 3 days remaining for me to stay in this hospital. Mum isn't here though, thank God.  
"Damn you Sam! You ruined a very special moment." Chris smacks the back of Sam's head.  
Katniss and I turn our heads to look at each other and she leans back to and sits properly on the bed.  
"Oh no...Katniss you don't have to sit properly. You looked pretty sexy in that position." Sam says with a grin and Dad gives him a smack on the head.  
"Sam!" Dad bellows.  
Katniss turns tomato red, I laugh and I end up wincing and letting out a groan. The door opens again and I see Doctor Brutus come in.  
"Oh great! Mr Mellark can you step outside please and we can talk about Peeta's condition and I need to show you some pain killers he needs to start taking by tomorrow. I just need to make sure that you'll allow them. I already told some things to Peeta so, can we talk outside please?" Doctor Brutus says and before they leave he gives me a wink and a big smile to Katniss. I'm starting to like this doctor.  
"You two looked like you had a good afternoon." Chris says.  
"What have you two been up to huh?" Sam asks, when both Katniss and I say nothing Sam continues, "Come on! Spill the beans! Didn't do anything naught...Did you?" Sam says in a suspicious but sarcastic voice.  
"What! Sam no!" Katniss yells directly at him and Sam.  
"Ok...I was just joking." Sam says while raising his hands defensively.  
"You even have the leg thing going on..." Chris says while pointing at my legs being apart and Katniss being in the middle.  
Sam snickers and I glare at him. Katniss drops her head in her hands in embarrassment and starts shaking them.  
"You know what...I'm just going to go..." Katniss hops off the bed and starts getting her bag.  
"Wait! Katniss don't go. Your parents are going to pick you up. Don't go yet...please!" I beg her.  
"Don't worry...I'm just going to let you guys talk. I'm going to get a drink form a vendor machine we past by earlier. I'll be back." She reassures me.  
When she's gone Sam immediately mimics what I said in a babyish voice, "Oh Katniss wait don't go. Katniss Please..."  
"Shut up!" I tell him.  
Chris starts laughing and I just look at both of them with utter disbelief.  
"You guys are sick..." I start saying.  
"Anyway...mum doesn't want us to stay here so long. But we got you some games and stuff. And because your suspended, who's going to get you work for you?" He says. "Uhhh, Katniss." I say like it is the most obvious thing in the world.  
"You even say her name dreamily..." Sam says.  
If it didn't hurt when I moved I would probably punch them in the face right now. Then the door opens, but it's not Katniss, or Dad it's not even Doctor Brutus but it's Prim and Mrs Everdeen. Once Prim sees Sam and Chris she yells their name and runs to them to give them a hug.  
"Hey there, long time no see." Chris says and ruffles her hair.  
"Yeah Prim, where have you been?" Sam asks.  
"School and stuff...plus Katniss and I hasn't come over your house for dinner or something because-"  
"Because our mum is home...what a bummer." Sam interrupts.  
Mrs Everdeen walks up to both Sam and Chris to give them a hug, and then Dad, Katniss and Doctor Brutus walks in obviously laughing about something. When Katniss sees Prim and her mother she says, "Oh! hey there little duck. Mum what are you back for so early. It's only 5:30."  
When Mrs Everdeen doesn't answer I can see on the expression on Prim, Sam, Chris and Katniss on why she didn't, because Dad is here.  
I would remember when Dad would invite the Everdeens to eat dinner over our place because mum isn't home, they would barely talk to each other and share eye contact. It has been like 2 months since the last time they came over our house for a dinner and 2 months since they've seen each other.  
Doctor Brutus seems to see the awkward atmosphere around us and clears his throat. "Well, ummm, its a good thing you guys are all here to visit Peeta. Wait, where is his mother." He says.  
"Actually, mum decided to stay she said...ummmm...she wanted to come but...uhhh...she had some things to take care of." If you didn't know Sam you would believe his little white lie, but seeing as we live together I know that he isn't very good at lying.  
"That's nice. Well, I have to go to my other patient now, I wouldn't want to ruin this little reunion." Brutus says and with that he goes outside the room.  
"I know! I have an idea! Why don't we all eat here, someone could go out and order some food and then take it up here in the hospital." Prim says excitedly. Everyone nods their head because they think its a good idea, even I do but Dad doesn't and I know why.  
"Gee...I don't know Prim. You see my wife doesn't want us to come home late." Dad says.  
"Well, what time do you have to be home?" Mrs Everdeen asks.  
"She says that we better be home before 6 o'clock otherwise she will skin us alive." Sam says in a playful but disappointed voice.  
"Oh, next time then." Prim says, she really does miss us going over each others house to eat dinner.  
"We have to go anyway." Charles says. "Peeta your stuff are all in this bag. Katniss will bring your homework in tomorrow." Sam starts saying.  
"See you tomorrow then son."  
Charles, Sam and Dad all say goodbye to the Everdeen girls and leave.  
"Katniss, maybe we should go." Mrs Everdeen says.  
I feel a little bit disappointed because I don't want Katniss to go yet. But it is nearly 6 and finishing her homework is quiet important to Katniss.  
Prim sees my disappointed expression and tries to cheer me up, "Its okay Peet, you'll get to see her again tomorrow, she'll bring your work in."  
"Come on girls, say your goodbyes. Peeta needs to rest too if he wants to get better." Mrs Everdeen says.  
"Goodbye Peeta. See you again tomorrow." She pats my arms softly and starts grabbing Katniss' jacket on the side table closest to her.  
"Katniss' favourite jacket...wouldn't want to forget it." Prim says quietly.  
I know that jacket, that's her Dad's jacket. It's her father's favourite leather jacket too, he would use it when he would go out hunting out in the woods with dome of his mates or something. I remember he took me and Katniss out here once. We weren't allowed a gun but he did teach us a lot about surviving and hunting. I see Mrs Everdeen leave the room because she probably heard Prim mention the jacket. Prim sighs once she sees her mother head out of the room.  
"Its my fault again. I'll just go out and try to confront mum. You guys can say goodbye." Prim says and then she slowly walks out of the room.  
"I don't know how she's ever going to heal. If she is having a really good day and someone just happens to mention something about Dad she loses it again." Katniss mutter, I look at her and smile sadly.  
"She'll be fine...she has you and Prim to help her through it, oh yeah and don't forget about me." I tell her.  
"See you tomorrow then Peeta."  
"She you tomorrow." I say, she then starts grabbing her things and starts putting them in her bag.  
"Wait." I say.  
"What?"  
"Where's my kiss."  
"Your kiss...what kiss?" She asks playfully.  
"I wan't my kiss."  
"I don't owe you a kiss."  
"I need my kiss Katniss."  
"What makes you so special so that you can get a kiss from me." She says again in her playful tone.  
"Because I defended you against Darius." I say, "And I got my butt kicked...hard."  
She give me a small smile and says, "Fine. I'll give you your kiss. Where do you want it?"  
_Whoa! What!? Where do I want it! _  
Should I take this advantage and make her kiss me...  
Maybe I should give it a go.  
"Full on the mouth..." And I make sure I say that with a playful tone.  
Her smile fades, "Come on Katniss, a hero like me deserves a kiss from a beautiful princess like you." I say.  
"I guess...a peck wouldn't hurt." I smile when she says this. "Well pucker up then." She says and I do.  
When I feel pressure on my lips it feels different, really different. I mean this doesn't even feel like Katniss. It's soft and feels like...fabric. I quickly shake my head and I hear Katniss laughing. When I open my eyes I see her holding a pillow on her hand.  
"I...can't believe...you fell...for that." Katniss says in between laughs.  
"That was so unfair! I want a redo!"  
"Well you wont get a redo." Katniss says.  
I laugh a little as well, "Well can I at least get a goodbye kiss from you?" I ask her.  
"Ok, fine." She says and gives me a kiss on the cheek, "And on the nose" I tell her. She then gives my nose a little peck and I peck her nose as well.  
"So, I'll see you tomorrow?" I say.  
"Tomorrow." Katniss replies.  
Before she closes the door and leaves she give me a wave goodbye and then she's gone.  
I start feeling that thing in my stomach again.  
Man, I wish I could control these so foreign feeling around my body, or at least I wish I would know when or where they're going to attack me, but I like it too. I'm getting use to it though, It doesn't feel curious anymore. It makes me feel happy at times and right ow I feel really happy.  
Katniss really does make me feel like I'm in heaven.

* * *

I know! I know!  
You guys want them to kiss...but, I really want to make their first kiss special. And plus I enjoy playing with the bond that they share and how close they are.  
Thank you guys for reviewing, when you guys review it just makes me write more.  
I'm sorry I don't update a lot of chapters in one day, but I like to keep these chapters long and enjoyable. But I promise to get them done faster. Thank you for the guys who have stayed with me throughout my writing on this story. Thank you for your comments, its good to know what you guys think about this.  
A BIG thank you to SaMaNtHa, a guest reader, for your comment about my gift of writing. I really appreciate it.  
Hopefully you enjoyed this and if you have any question, queries or anything you want to say please, please, please review.  
Thanks!  
-RestlessIdeas


	9. You Just Scared Me

Hello again,  
Just to let you know guys I do like torturing you on not getting them to kiss, but like I said I want it to be really special and when Katniss won't freak out again. That time at the hospital was not the time for it because I don't think Katniss has expressed her feeling enough for her to accept a kiss from Peeta and change their whole relationship. And I'm writing this thing!  
Also I won't update for about 2 days because I will be writing, and when I update I will update more than 1 chapter. Keep in mind, it does take a long time to write these things. Please enjoy this chapter.  
Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the Hunger Games book or movie. I don't own anything related to the Hunger Games.

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When I wake in the next morning, I could feel that my other eye could open, but just for a little bit so I close it again, I can even feel the swelling. Nurse Jackie comes in and gives me some painkillers and she helps me position myself for the day. She even plays some board games with me that Sam and Chris brought in. While we were playing Chris comes in for a visit and joins our game. Nurse Jackie and Chris got along pretty well. Damn it! Chris even got her to go on a date with him, I mean that nurse does look young 22 or something and Chris is 25. Its reasonable. I just hope that when Nurse Jackie comes in to check on me she doesn't have to keep asking about Chris.  
After I eat lunch I wait impatiently for the three hours or four hours until Katniss will arrive. While I'm in the middle of watching TV I doze off.

I'm chasing after Katniss now, were running in the rain together. I hear laughing when I grab her around the waist and throw her around my shoulder. I start spinning around in a circle and everything suddenly turns black. I'm alone now and I can only see darkness around me, I spin around in a circle and I hear myself telling Katniss' name.  
_Where is she? We were just in the rain a while ago._  
I don't start panicking until I hear her voice, she's calling for me, yelling my name. I run after her voice, I'm getting closer and as I do her voice gets fainter. I don't know where I'm going, if her voice is getting fainter then that means I'm going the wrong. I turn around but I don't know which way to go, I can only see black, just pure darkness and I panic some more. I yell her name again, but this time she doesn't answer.  
_I've ran too far, I've lost her now._  
I run around the darkness yelling her name as I go but she's not answering and I find tears running down my eyes.  
I'm dreaming, I have to be dreaming. This can't be real, this can't be happening. I haven't lost Katniss, she's safe.  
I know I'm dreaming, a sweet dream that turned into a nightmare.

"Peeta. Peeta, I'm right here. Peeta" I hear her voice and I find myself opening only my good eye and I see her grey ones.  
"Katniss?"  
"Yes, I'm right here. It's okay."  
I bring my one of hand hand to caress her cheek and I smile.  
"I lost you, I was running and then suddenly I couldn't hear your voice anymore."  
She puts one of her hand over mine and says, "You'll never lose me." She drops her hand and places it around my stomach just on top on my abs where some of the bandages are.  
"They changed your bandage by the way and the band aid patches in your chest. You were asleep for four hours. It's 4:15. I bought your school work in too. You have 6 hours of work you need to catch up with."  
I look over at the side table and see the mountain of work.  
"Ugh. I completely forgot about that." I say in annoyance.  
"Don't worry,I'll be here to help you and I'm not going home until we get through all of them."  
"Katniss...that's 6 hours worth of work. Do you really think we'll be able to finish all that?"  
"Well one brain can finish that in 6 hours, but with two brains..."  
"We'll finish it earlier..." I continue for her.  
"I told my mum to pick me up around 7 o'clock and I'll finish my homework while were at it." She tells me.  
"I love you..." I say with a huge smile.  
She brushes some hair off of my eyes and says,"I know. I love you too."  
"So, let get started then." She says.  
"What? Please, not yet Katniss." I say in a pleading, childish voice.  
Katniss gives me a motherly look and mimics my voice, "Please, not yet Katniss..." and she lets out a laugh.

She helps me move over this time and I try so hard not to wince because I don't feel any better than yesterday.  
"Why don't you just get in between my legs instead?"  
"Because...Peeta, doctors and nurses are going to come and go in this room and I don't want them to see us in very a awkward position."  
"It's not like it's a bad thing, I mean we're not doing anything naughty. Please Katniss..."  
"Fine then, get your blanket out of the way."  
When Katniss and I have positioned ourselves, we get on with the schoolwork that I have to go. She doesn't help me answer everything because I am suspended and this is my punishment, but when I can't figure something out she helps me with it. Katniss doesn't let me go until I've learnt how to figure a certain equation out, that's one of the things I like about Katniss she makes sure that I really learn and that I can figure something out by myself. It's actually quiet hard to write or read,especially with one eye, so Katniss reads them for me with her angel-like voice. It hurts when I press on the pencil to hard so you can barely make out my writing, Katniss helps me with that too, she writes if it hurts to much and I write when I've rested.  
When I feel my hand give out again, Katniss takes the pen and writes for me. I lean in and rest my chin on top of her shoulder and watch her move her hand across the page and from time to time I look at the page or Katniss' beautiful face. After a while I just simply look at her. I look at the way her face looks concentrated when she's figuring something out. Her hair smells nice too, the sweet lavender I can smell when I take a deep breath in. I'm get so lost in her that my body starts doing what they want without my command. So somewhere along the line my arms have entangled themselves around Katniss and now I'm kissing her around her cheeks and neck.  
Katniss cranes her neck and lets out a small moan, I hear her drop the pen and she places one of her hands on my cheek, "Peeta?"  
"Hmm?" I say and I'm so lost I'm about to start moving my lips to meet hers but her next set of words stop me from doing so.  
"I thought you said we weren't going to be doing anything naughty?" She says with a small laugh.  
I stop what I'm doing immediately and realise it. I turn red with embarrassment but hopefully she doesn't see. I'm still lost in her though, I can feel it and I can also feel my ribs and stomach starting to constrict and I'm starting to feel the pain, I lean back slowly back not too far.  
"Sorry...I got distracted," I say, "Again..." I mumble almost audibly.  
"What was that?" Katniss asks.  
"No...Nothing," I say and my voice sounds a bit different because my ribs hurt.  
"Are you okay? You voice sounds painful." Katniss quickly turns around but with care and I lose my grip around her waist and lean back a bit more. I put my hand over my ribs and my stomach because I'm finding it hard to breath.  
"Peeta, look at me." She lifts my chin up with her finger, she looks so beautiful.  
"I'm uhhh, I'm going to be find." I stare at her gray eyes and I get lost in them completely. _What's happening to me?_  
"Peeta? Peeta, you have to tell me what's wrong."  
"...You...you are." I manage to say.  
"Peeta...what? I don't understand. You've been acting so weird lately..."  
"I...ummmm...I can't breath."  
"Okay, Peeta. I'll go an-"  
"No! I'll be fine...really. I was just in a bad position."  
"Are- are you sure?"  
"Yes. I can breath now actually. It's okay."  
She looks at me for quiet sometime, "Are you really sure? Because your- your- your really scaring me an- and I- I don't know what to do." She stutters like a small child looking for her mum.  
"Katniss...are _you_ okay?" I ask her.  
"I'm fine, I mean, I am. You just- you- you scared me."  
"Hey...come here..." I open my arms again.  
"I- I don't think that's a good idea."  
"Just come here." I command.  
She sighs and she leans her back onto my chest, it hurts a bit but she didn't drop all of her weight on me.  
"I told you, I'll be fine. Now lets finish all this work and then we can get Nurse Jackie to get us some food." I say reassuringly.  
We get on with out work and order wait for the nurse to bring us some food and offer me some more painkillers. Katniss feeds me the whole time.  
Mrs Everdeen comes around a little after 7 and is waiting outside for Katniss. Katniss then helps me settle into bed, it comes to that part again where we have to say goodbye.  
"Well, I'll see you again tomorrow. Try to get a good sleep, you only have tomorrow to go then your going home." Katniss put my blanket over me while she's saying this. When she's put the blanket up to my neck she kisses my forehead and I whisper a goodnight.  
She leans back but before she does I take my hand away from under the blanket and quickly grab onto hers.  
"What if I have another dream?" I whimper.  
"Well...you just remember that I'm safe and you're never going to lose me. Remember that." She says softly. I run my thumb over her hand and sigh.  
"Alright, I just want to fall asleep while your still here because when you leave this room I know that I'll start missing you straight away." I mutter.  
She gives me a sweet smile and brushes my hair back from my head. She grabs the seat near the night table, puts it near the bed and sits down.  
She then starts humming a lullaby I've heard her sing once to Prim when I stayed a night over their house. I'm amazed by how quickly my tiredness makes me fall asleep. I can feel my eyes slowly drop by the second. My last thoughts before I fell asleep was: If only I could fall asleep like this everyday.

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I'm sorry I took like 2 days to write this but I do go to school and I have chores to do and stuff. You must understand.  
Thank you guys for your review and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.  
I'm making a really lame author's note because I'm really tired.  
Thank you again guys for everything and for viewing and stuff. Hopefully you enjoyed this stuff.  
Don't worry, their kiss is coming soon. Soon.  
Thanks again.

-RestlessIdeas


	10. How Do I Tell Her?

Thank you guys soo much for the reviews and comments! You are all awesome. Thank you for the guys who have stuck by with this story, it is my first fanfic. Its good to know people are already enjoying it.  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Hunger Games.

* * *

I wake up feeling a bit better than ever, but just a bit, when I look to my side it doesn't surprise me that Katniss isn't there. It just disappoints me...  
I can open my bruised eye now, not fully but closely halfway. I can lean forward without and help but it still hurts. I look down at my chest and realise the patches of band aids are gone. I'm just left with bruises and scabs. My bandaged have been changed too, I wonder why I don't even wear a shirt. I remind myself to ask the nurse when she gets here.  
_What was up with me yesterday?  
_I just realised that I was acting so weird yesterday.  
Nurse Jackie comes in the room with my tray of food with a smile on her face.  
"Morning Peeta," She says.  
"Morning nurse," I say back.  
"Just call me Jackie, anyway how are you feeling?"  
"Just a little bit better, improvement on me leaning up and opening my bruised and swollen eye."  
"That's good. We took those band aids of your chest by the way. You're pretty buff for a 16 year old. Do you work out?"  
I blush at this, "Uhh, no. Well, I like to play football and when my Dad used to own a bakery with his brothers and Dad when he was younger. A few months ago I would help with baking. I throw sacks of flour and stuff, never really gone to the gym. My Dad left the bakery when he realised it wastes a lot of his time and his brothers can take care of it just fine. We go there sometime though, I like baking." I tell her.  
"Does your brother like baking as well?" She asks me.  
Great, now she's asking about Chris. I knew this would happen I knew it.  
"Yeah, he's alright. He has his own job so he doesn't really bake a lot."  
"Really? What's his job?"  
"He didn't go to college or anything but he's working in an office. Advertising stuff I think. I never really ask him about it." I say.  
"What about you? What do you want to do when you grow up?" Jackie asks me this and at the same time she takes some painkillers and go down across the room to get fill the cup up with water.  
"I like painting, drawing, sketching and stuff. I like baking too, but uh…I don't know, I've never really thought about it a lot. It crossed my mind but we'll just see in the future."  
"Okay, can you manage to eat by yourself?" She asks me.  
"Yeah, I can move my arms just right."  
She places the tray of food on this table she puts above my lap and I get down to eating, she stays there to watch if anything happens. She then starts moving her head around the room and finds the pile of work on the table near the window. Katniss must have moved them there and I didn't even notice.  
"Did you finish all your work yesterday?" She asks.  
"Yeah, well Katniss helped me. I get a lot work because I'm suspended. Katniss is going to bring the next lot later in the afternoon."  
"Katniss? Your girlfriend."  
I blush again, I can't help it. I just do.  
"She's not my girlfriend, just a friend. I've known her all my life." I say.  
"Well…Chris says you guys have a very odd friendship. You two happen to be very close. I've seen how she's excited to see you when she signs in at the lobby."  
"Do you like her in any way? I mean, you seem to mention her name when you're asleep."  
I bring my head to look at her, "What? I speak when sleep?" I forgot that they would check up on me. They must have heard me say her name when they changed my bandages and stuff earlier in the morning.  
"Yes, you seem to be having a good dream." She says with a smile and wrinkle of her brows.  
"My dream wasn't like that. I could just hear her singing while I sleep." I say, I don't know why I feel comfortable saying this around Jackie, I've only know her for 2 days.  
"So she can sing?"  
"Yeah, she sounds like an angel."  
"So, back to the question: Do you like her in anyway?" She places her hand under her chin and eyes me with her eyebrows raised.  
"Well, uhhh…she means a lot to me."  
"And…" She urges.  
"Look, she's just a friend."  
"I see the way you look at her Peeta. You like her…a lot. That's a good thing." She says.  
"Fine. You've caught me. I just, I don't know how I'm going to say it to her though."  
"Just say it, it won't be that hard."  
"It not because she's Katniss. Katniss…well, how do I put this. Katniss, Katniss has lost her dad and he means a LOT to her. When her dad died her mum just, her mum just stopped living, like…she didn't move or barely do anything. She would only work sometimes and they would barely get money. Katniss was just 11 years old and Prim still growing up. This was really angry at how her mum would instantly forget that she still has two daughters to look after. Katniss would take care of Prim and there were times where I would just help her because she doesn't want to ask for help, she doesn't want another person having to deal with her problems with her. Anyway, she was so angry at her mum that she needs to remind herself every day that her mum has basically given up on life because she was so in love with her father, where losing him would just shatter her heart to millions of pieces. And she lost him and her heart did shatter. But the thing is, Katniss didn't know what it's like to fall in love and how it feels like to lose the love of your life. How to lift yourself up and try to walk with a broken heart. Her mum got better by time, but a little reminder of her husband and she's gone again, it takes a lot of comforting to bring her back." I sigh and look at Jackie.  
"Well…continue, you have a thing with words. I could listen to you all day." She says.  
"She doesn't necessarily blame her mum for what's happened, but she blamed love for it. Katniss is scared of…of falling in love. Of having to deal with the hard things that love will throw at you. What she doesn't understand is that there are some good points to being in love. If only she knew how it would feel like to fall in love, how it makes you feel like you're in heaven, how it gives you wings to fly and how it makes you feel so…happy." I continue.  
Jackie stares at me for a while, like she's figuring something out and then she speaks, "And how would you know how it feels like to fall in love?"  
I give her a knowing look and say, "You obviously know the answer."  
"I know. I just want to hear you say it." She says.  
"Come on…say it." She urges.  
I sigh and I don't hesitate when I say it, "I love Katniss."  
She gives a small clap and says, "I think I know how _you_ can fix your little problem."  
"Yeah, and how?" I say with less enthusiasm.  
"You make her fall in love." She says with a huge smile.  
"And how do I do that, when I nearly kissed her she got mad." I say.  
"Well…look, there are thing you teenagers just don't understand. You just think that when you kiss your in love. Duh? That's not how it works, you don't get girls. You know what Katniss feels like about love and you try to kiss her." She says.  
"I didn't try, we were so close and I couldn't help myself." I say.  
She looks like she just came up with a good idea.  
"Oh really. Peeta? How did you fall in love with Katniss?"  
"I…I don't really know. I started getting this weird feeling."  
"Oh yeah, those chills." She says sounding like she's felt it before too.  
"She…she made me fall in love her without even trying. She just did what she would do every day and I just…I felt things for her." I continue.  
"If Katniss has her heart wrapped around a big fence with barbed wires, then the only thing you can do is break it down and when that's happened, she slowly start to realise things. Or start getting those chills."  
"I get you…"  
"Listen to me, don't rush thing. Just be yourself, because if you try to hit on Katniss when you're being someone else. The fence around her heart won't just be a fence with barbed wire. It will be a fence with barbed wires and electric too. If you start acting like a freak around her then she'll think that love is just a weird and freakish thing. Just. Be. Yourself. Let you heart speak for you." She tells me.  
I'm starting to like Jackie, this things were talking about might be girl talk, but she knows how to translate girl talk so that boys can understand it too. That's one power adults have, they can translate anything, any kind of talk, and just make it…what would you call it, child talk I guess. As long as it's a child in need of help, they always know what to do or say.  
"So, I shouldn't just think too much of what I have to do and just let my heart speak for me rather than my brain?" I ask.  
"Yes! We have no idea what things go on inside a boy's brain, because the heart is stronger than the brain. Even though it's very fragile and it gets hurt a lot." Jackie says and I give a laugh and stop immediately.  
"Your ribs hurt when you laugh?" Jackie asks sarcastically because she already knows what effects moving or doing other things does to my body.  
I hear her pager beep, "Oh! That's my call. It's Mr. Hale again, that poor old man has a broken leg. Well, you know what to do. Press that button on the wall of you need me, pretty sure Doctor Brutus told you that." She takes the table lap with the food tray in it and gets ready to leave the room.  
"I look down at my bare chest and remember something, "Oh. And Jackie, I just wanted to ask you, why do I have to be shirtless?"  
"Try raising your arm over your head and you'll find out." She leaves the room carrying the tray with her.  
I don't get it, what does she mean by raising my hand up. I do it though, I slowly raise my hand over my head and as it goes up I can feel my upper body start to hurt and I cry out. I drop my hands instantly and I understand. In the condition I'm in, putting a shirt on can really hurt. When you put a shirt on you usually have to raise your arm higher than your head, when I raised my arm over my head it hurts, it's excruciating. Instead of Jackie just telling why she let me find out myself by leaving a little clue that leads to a big conclusion.  
I look at the clock and it's just a little over 10 am. I decide to take a nap even though I woke up about 45 minutes ago, I already feel exhausted. Besides, I don't have to wait impatiently for Katniss to come.

When I wake up I open my eyes to meet the ceiling, I start tolling over and my stomach starts to hurt again until I remember that I had a fight at school and moving won't do me any good. I just turn my head to the side and see a pile of books and work on the side table. That's odd, they weren't there before. I sit up slowly (and try to find ways to move without hurting myself) to see the clock and check what time it is. It's 4:30, looks like my nap turned to a comfortable slumber, I then start to realise that there's no Katniss. There's a pile of work on the side table, but still no Katniss. She might have just gone somewhere, maybe to pee or something. I look at the pile of book and see a sticky note stuck on a science worksheet.  
It read:  
I'll be back at around 5:30, just start doing your work, don't worry about me; I just went out to help a friend.  
She's out helping a friend? What friend? If it was Delly, Madge or something she would mention their name, not just 'a friend'. I'm starting to get worried, what if she went out to party, what if she's out there with…a boy or something. This isn't like Katniss, to not tell me who she's with or where she's going. Because if there's one thing she knows that I care about: it's her safety. I shake my head, because I know that Katniss can take care of herself fine without me, she's brave and she knows how to fight. I just pick up my work and try not to worry about her. Just because I said I was going to try not worry, that didn't mean that I wasn't going to worry.

It's 5:55 pm, I've gone finished most of my school work but, there is still no Katniss. Jackie comes in to give me some of my medicine and I decide I want to ask her if she knows anything about Katniss.  
"Well I did see her come in to bring your work in the room and I saw her sign in. I actually asked her where she was going. She just told me that if you ask, I should tell you that she's going to go and help a friend out."  
There it goes again, the word 'friend', what friend? Who? I haven't been at school for like 3 days and when I ask Katniss how her day was she wouldn't tell me whether she made a friend or not and then all of a sudden the very word is being used.  
"Okay thanks…" I tell her, I take my pills and I find myself feeling sleepy again. I think they put sleeping pills or something with the painkillers and I find myself dozing off again.

* * *

When I wake I hear a pen scratching on a book on my left side.  
"Katniss? Is that you?"  
"Peeta…" I would recognise her voice anywhere, "You're awake."  
"I am. Katniss where have you been?" I start sitting up and she starts helping me.  
"I told you I went out to help a-"  
"A friend. I know. Who?" I interrupt her.  
"Just someone from Science…"  
"What were you doing?"  
"I just helped him."  
_Wait! Him? She helped a him from Science._  
"Him?"  
"Uhhh, yeah."  
"Who?"  
"Peeta, does it really matter?"  
"Yes it does."  
"Why?"  
"Why?" I repeat sarcastically.  
"Because I care about you and want to know who you're hanging around with. Katniss please just tell me."  
"Were just doing a Science project together seeing as you're not at school."  
"Who?" I repeat a bit more sternly.  
She mumbles his name but I didn't get it.  
"What was that?"  
She mumbles again and I couldn't understand.  
"Katniss, I can't hear you."  
"Jeffrey!" She says a bit more louder.  
I stop breathing for a second and then inhale deeply. Did she just say what I think she said.  
"Jeffrey Kings?" I ask trying to be calm.  
"Yep." She says awkwardly.  
I remember Jeffrey, I remember him very well. He was a new kid at school last year and I decided to make friends with him. When I introduced him to Katniss he developed a crush on her straight away. At first it was just hugs and blow kisses that he tried on Katniss, next it was passing notes in the classroom and then it was touching Katniss where she didn't feel comfortable. After that he started leaving love notes in her locker. Then he starts ignoring me when I try to talk to him and hang out. He even starts taking Katniss away from me, when we're on the same class together he grabs Katniss and leaves with and I'm left trying to catch up. Katniss usually ends up calling my name or looking for me and that means Jeffrey stops walking and has to wait for me to catch up with them. I started noticing this after 2 months of our friendship and when Katniss started complaining. I pulled him aside one PE session and told him to just try and keep his distance. I soon as I finished the word distance he shoved me as if the word slapped him in the face and hard. I told him that Katniss doesn't like him acting all weird which made him more angry.  
"You want to know who Katniss need distance from?" He asked angrily while I'm getting up from the ground.  
"You. Man, you keep getting in the way; I'm trying to get to know this girl better. He then starts mimicking Katniss in a girlish tone which would make me laugh if I wasn't so angry at him for shoving me. I mean I don't want to fight with this guy; I like him, but right now he's really pissing me off.  
"I just wanted to tell you that Katniss doesn't like you acting all weird around her."  
"Piss off Mellark."  
"Why are you getting so angry?" I ask him irritated.  
"Because you keep getting in my way." He continues.  
I scoff, "What way?"  
"My way with Katniss doofus!" He yells.  
"What? I'm her friend and yours. I have every right to get in the way of you and Katniss."  
"Well Peeta, I like Katniss and I don't need you to get in the way." He shoves me again and now I'm getting angrier at him. Who does he think he is? I thought we were all friends here.  
"Mellark! Kings! Stop mucking around!" Coach O'Dair yells and Jeffrey turns away immediately.  
I still don't understand him, well he like Katniss. Good for him. But what do I have to do with it.

After that fight that we had, he's completely trying to ignore and tries to spend a lot of time with Katniss without me. But Katniss doesn't really trust Jeffrey and usually have to lie to him about going to the toilet or something to look for me and when we would catch up with Jeffrey Katniss would use the same excuse of 'bumping' into me.  
After a few more days things get worse, much worse. Jeffrey just keeps taking it a step further with Katniss and it's really annoying her. He's not being kind or sweet, he might think he is but he's just annoying her. When I turn a corner to see if Katniss is by her locker because I can't find her. I was right, she is by her locker but with Jeffrey again. I start to get jealous because Jeffrey is always taking her away from me. I see Jeffrey try to kiss her or something and Katniss slaps Jeffrey, she sees me and runs to me straight away and she immediately sobs. I look over her shoulder at Jeffrey and he turns away the other direction and start walking. Good, I think.  
"Where were you?" Katniss asks angrily.  
"I was looking for you?" I say  
"No, I was looking for you. Why is it you never come and leave me with him?"  
"Katniss, I'm sorry. I try to catch up with you but Jeffery…"I trail off because Katniss lets out a few more sobs.  
"Do you hate me? Is that why you don't bother coming when I need you?" She looks really hurt when she says this and I felt insulted when she said that.  
"That's what Jeffrey said, he said you didn't want to be friends with me. I told him that you care about me and then he starts getting angry. He then starts insulting me and Prim and then…and then he starts talking about Dad. Then her tries to kiss me. It's your entire fault!" She smacks my chest and take a hold of both of her hands.  
"Katniss, I love you. You know that, why would you listen to him. He's an idiot." I squeeze her hand for reassurance. "Katniss, you're stronger than this. How could you let his words throw you down."  
More tears spill out of her eyes and I wipe them off.  
"I know, it hurts when he talks like that ab- about you an- and if there's one thing…I'm afraid of. It's losing you." She says in between sobs.  
I pull her in another tight hug and I don't want to let go. "That's what I'm afraid of too. Jeffrey was trying to take you away from me and I never realised until now." I say in a much softer voice.  
Her grip around my neck tightens and her sobs get quieter the longer I hold her.  
"I don't want to hang around with Jeffrey anymore…" She says quietly.  
"I'll make sure he doesn't." I rub her back because she's starting to get the hiccups.

After that, Katniss and I avoided Jeffrey and he avoided us. It wasn't until after a few weeks he wanted his revenged. Jeffrey went out and started a rumour at school about how he 'slept' with Katniss and how she begged for it. It made Katniss look bad because of the way Jeffrey described the way she begged for it. Katniss stayed strong though, because she's a fighter. She ignored the comments and continued her life as if nothing's happening. I stood by her side all the way, the teachers gave her dirty looks, and everyone stayed away from her but as always she didn't let it get to her. After a few more weeks the rumour died down and after days of convincing people that the rumour was not true, everyone regretted being mean to Katniss and we just started getting on with school. I hated Jeffrey for that. I always will.

"And why would you that? Why would you go out and help Jeffrey?" I ask Katniss and I try to sound a bit calmer but my voice sounds a bit angry.  
"He wanted help with his Science homework, Mr Franker said we had to find a partner to do a Science experiment, you weren't there so I ended up with…Jeffrey." She says with a sigh.  
"Don't worry, when he wanted help with his Science homework Cato and Delly were there with me the _whole _time." Katniss says.  
She brushes some hair off of my forehead and smiles, "You have absolutely nothing to worry about. Don't worry he didn't try any funny business while Cato is around."  
I let out a sigh of relief, thank God.  
"So…what where you doing there?" I point my head on the work on her lap.  
"My homework."  
"Cool" I say and then I remember, "What took you so long? It's 6:30." I ask her a bit more suspiciously.  
She lets out a short laugh, "I came at 6:15. Cato and Delly needed help with their homework too. I see you've got through most of yours." She says.  
"Uhhh yeah, I just left the hard ones so you could help me figure it out."  
"Hey, you came in earlier to drop my stuff off." I say with realisation.  
"Yeah, I did. Well, Cato and Delly came with me. We left Jeffrey to wait outside the hospital for us. Cato wanted to talk to you but you were asleep. We didn't want to disturb you. Jeffrey was pretty impressed that you stood up against Darius." She answers.  
"Did he now?" I say.  
Just then Jackie comes in with food and more medicine.  
"Jackie, are one of these pills sleeping pills?" I ask her.  
"Yes, you finally figured it out, they help you get a deep sleep, so that you won't get disturbed and get your rest." She says and leaves the room.  
"You want to eat?" I ask Katniss.  
"Yes please." She says while rubbing her hands together.  
"Hop on the bed then…" And I slowly move over because I can manage it but only for a few centimetres and then Katniss helps me. We share the food and end up with one last piece of chicken leg that we both want.  
"We should just share it. Bite on either side." I request.  
"Sure, you can bite first." She says.  
"No, you can. Ladies first."  
"Why don't we just bite at the same time?" I say in a playful, it reminds me of the time we were in the same situation with a sandwich when we were 14 years old, we could have just cut it in half or something, but we like to have fun. I remember how I used the same playful tone and the same question.  
"Ok, I'll hold it up." Katniss offers.  
I turn my head fully to meet hers, "In 3. Ready?"  
She nods and I continue, "1…2…3!" I say and take a big bite on the chicken leg and she does too. I feel our nose touch in doing so. I chew quickly because it's so succulent.  
Katniss starts laughing and so do I, "Why are we doing this?" She says in a tone full of happiness and laughter.  
"I don't know, because were trying to have fun or something." I say with a shrug.  
We eat the rest of the chicken together and I take my painkillers and stuff.  
"Don't worry about the rest of your work, we'll just do that with tomorrow's lot tomorrow." Katniss says.  
"Oh! Double work." I complain.  
"That's what you get for punching Darius' face." She says with a voice a mother would use when she's telling her child off, but more playful.  
We turn on the TV and put the blankets around us and wait for Katniss mother to come. I feel myself needing to sleep again. All I've been doing is sleeping all day, damn those sleeping pills. Katniss sighs and rests her head on my shoulder, It hurts my shoulder a bit but my shoulder wasn't affected that badly so it's not a big deal. Katniss yawns as well, it's pretty early to feel exhausted but she probably had a long day.  
I feel my eyelids beginning to close and I slowly lean my head on Katniss'.  
"Peeta? Maybe you should lie down."  
"Huh?"  
"Lie down." She tells me and I feel so sleepy I need her to help me move.  
"Don't go yet. Not until your mother comes. Lie down with me" I manage to say, I move my head over a little to leave some space on the pillow and my eyes close  
She sighs and lays her head on the space I left on the pillow.  
It feels nice to feel Katniss next to me, I wish I could roll over right now and put my arms around her. It disappoints me, but I'm too drowsy and tired to put much thought on it.  
The last thing I feel before I fall asleep is her hand drawing circles on my abdomen and her breath tickling my neck.

* * *

Please comment as usual, I really thought about this chapter and what it would be about. Hopefully you enjoyed that and please stay tuned for the next chapter.  
Review, follow and favourite and stuff...it just makes me happy.  
Thanks for reading again...

-RestlessIdeas


	11. Just Let Your Heart Speak For You

Thank you so much guys for the comments and stuff. I really appreciate it, I wish I could thank you in person.  
Hopefully you guys will enjoy this chapter, just a brief summary; Peeta's time at the hospital is over and he gets a little encouragement from Prim.

I don't own the Hunger Games, that's why I write on this fanfiction website thingy.

* * *

Today.

I'm leaving the hospital today and going back home with my Dad, brothers and my…mother. That thought scares me. I don't want to be anywhere near my mother when I'm hurt, she'll just hurt me more. She might, seeing as we had to pay the hospital bills. I don't want to go home…not yet. I want to stay here and let the doctors take me rather than going home. I might have my brothers and Dad to take care of me, but my mother will think I will defenceless seeing as moving for me isn't the best thing. Even though she lives with 3 big and grown up boys, the problem is that she's tougher than us. She's not stronger, but she is tough and hard, which makes us fear her.

I watch us my brothers walk around the room getting my school stuff and things organised and put in a bag. I see my father across the room talking with Doctor Brutus. I sigh; I don't want to go home. I won't be seeing Katniss, not for weeks. I still need to recover, my mum hates Katniss and I won't get to see her. I didn't even think that last night might be our last night to see each other for weeks. I can't stand it, I can't stand not being with Katniss.  
I hear the door open and see Jackie walk in, immediately Chris goes off to talk to her. I look at Dr. Brutus and Dad talking together, what are they talking about? What medicine I have to take? When I'm able to walk and I don't need a wheelchair anymore? When I'm allowed to go to school? What?  
What about that, who will take care of me when Dad goes to work, or Chris or Sam. Sam goes to college too. I'll be left with my mother; she won't take care of me. I don't even think she would want me there.  
The door opens again and the visitor surprises me; Mrs Everdeen.  
I see Dr. Brutus' face turn to her and smiles.  
"Ahh, Mrs Everdeen. Nice to see you…are you here to visit Peeta?" he says in a louder voice so I'm able to hear.  
"Oh yes actually I wanted to talk to you about something as well as his father." She says and they leave the room again and I'm left to look silently at Chris and Jackie conversing and Sam zipping up the bag.

* * *

Overjoyed.  
That's how I felt when Dad says those words. "Peeta you'll be staying with the Everdeens until you have fully recovered."  
I get to see Katniss after all. But then I drop my smile and change my expression to a mix of confusion and anger.  
"What's wrong? You don't want to?" Dad asks me.  
"No. I'd love to, but…what about mum?"  
"Don't worry about it. She wouldn't want you there anyway. I suggested it, you staying with Katniss, I mean her mother knows a lot about being a doctor and stuff and I know she'll take care of you. We'll take you there straight off and we'll take your stuff around the afternoon. How about that?" Dad says.  
"I'd like that…" I say while forming a smile.

So Dr Brutus gives Dad some paperwork and things about me and my health. Then they slowly and cautiously move me into a wheelchair. I realise down that I can move a bit, but I have broken a few ribs and places here and there so when I say a bit. I mean a tiny bit, just a little swivel, or leaning forward or backwards. But it will always sting and hurt. Darius can really punch seeing as it takes weeks for me to fully recover, we don't know how many, but just weeks.  
Anyway, Sam pushes me and with a _lot _of wincing, crying and groaning they manage to put a shirt over me. Then something hits me, what if I need a shower?  
By the time we get out my room door I ask the question.  
"Well Peeta…we don't have specific demands on how you're supposed to take a shower. We haven't given you a wash here because you're still pretty weak. They'll just have to take extra care when they wash you." Jackie says, "I mean Mrs Everdeen here might know how to take care of that stuff." Chris says right after Jackie says what she just said.  
We take the lift down the first floor and before we leave Dr Brutus reminds us, "Remember we'll give you a call every day and someone, maybe Jackie, will come over to check up on you. By the way is that all right with you Mrs Everdeen?"  
"Yes, okay with me." She says.  
"Be careful when you put him in the car because you don't have those special vans." Dr Brutus says before we sign out at the reception and get ready to leave.

* * *

It takes a good 5 minutes drive to reach the Everdeen household. Chris and Sam help me get into my wheelchair. Dad gets my things from the hospital and all those prescriptions, Mrs Everdeen opens the door for us and we go inside the house. For a second, I thought Katniss would be there but its school hours and it reminds me that they're at school.  
"Well, seeing as you can't climb the stairs Peeta, you can sleep in the extra guest room, no one uses that one so we just placed a piano in there instead of a bed. But there is a sofa bed in there and it's a double bed sized bed so you don't have to worry about falling off the bed." Mrs Everdeen says while leading us down a hallway to my room. As soon as we get in were welcomed with a rosy smell, I look around and the walls are painted and a yellow kind of cream colour. There's a couch pressed against the back wall with the wide window and the light green coloured curtains, the big couch must be the sofa bed, and a piano is placed on a corner near the door. There's a wardrobe built in on the wall and the nice grey carpet on the floor feels nice. There's a TV in the middle of the room behind the coffee table and their both facing the sofa. Straight away Sam drops my stuff in a corner and starts unpacking the bag with my school stuff in it and places it on the table next to the piano, Chris stops pushing me and walks towards the piano and starts touching its shiny surfaces.  
"We should get your bed ready; Dr Brutus said you need a lot of rest. A lot of sleep too even though you've already had enough." Dad says.  
"I'll got get the things for the bed." Mrs Everdeens says and leaves the room.  
"We'll get the sofa bed assembled then." Sam says.  
Dad pushes to a wall and they unfold the bed hiding inside the sofa. Mrs Everdeen comes in and they all spread the sheet around the bed, like you need 4 people to do that. Especially with 3 boys who probably can cover the corners right. I get about 5 pillows around the bed.  
"This one Peeta just put it under the leg with the damaged knee cap." Mrs Everdeen says pointing out a particular blue pillow.  
"Well I put the prescriptions and all the information things somewhere in the coffee table in the living room." Dad tells Mrs Everdeen.  
"Alright, that's great; I'll take a look at them we've put Peeta to be." She replies.  
"That's going to be a hard one, why don't we try to make Peeta stand?" Sam suggests.  
"We could if Peeta can try to ignore the ain it will be thrown at him, I mean his knee cap is still sore to stand up with, walking is out of the question." Mrs Everdeen answers.  
I just sit there and give a silent answer with a nod of my head. Chris pushes me to the side of the bed and leaves space for me to stand.  
As soon as they help pull me up I yelp in pain. I tell them to keep going and I feel tears ready to come out. They then pull me down on the bed and I feel a little lightheaded. They put the blanket over me and I still feel the pain to wherever part of my body has been affected.  
I hear my brothers and father say their goodbyes and my Dad tells me something before they leave.  
"Behave." He says with a warning tone.  
After that Mrs Everdeen comes in and gives me my medicines and I feel myself get drowsy again.

* * *

When I open my eyes, I realise that there is a clock on the wall and it's just a little after 1 pm. After a few minutes Mrs Everdeen comes in to check on me and sees that I'm awake. She tells me that she has got food ready and helps me get on the wheelchair. The painkillers helped a little bit when I was getting on the wheelchair, I knew because all I did was groan and wince, I wasn't yelling or crying. I eat while Mrs Everdeen watches, it takes a little effort for me to eat because I just woke up and I still feel relaxed. After that Mrs Everdeen wheels me in the living room to watch TV with her.  
I didn't realise that it was nearly 3:00 and Mrs Everdeen has to go and pick up Prim and Katniss.  
"Just stay in the living room and watch TV, don't move and do anything stupid. I'll be right back." And with that she leaves and I'm left with the TV and myself.  
I impatiently wait for Mrs Everdeen to arrive with the girls. Time seems to be annoying me right now because one minute feels like fifteen minutes. Maybe it's just because I can't keep my mind off Katniss and the big smile on my face. I mean, I've been quite the whole day expect for the mixed emotions but I've been listening mostly. Still, I can't wait for them to come home. After waiting a few more minutes I hear the car pull in on the driveway, I can see through the window.  
The door opens immediately and Prim instantly yells, "Where is he!?"  
"On your right side…" Mrs Everdeen says as a matter of fact. She wips around and forms a big smile on her face.  
"Peeta!" She says and jogs up to me she opens her arms to embrace me but then stops moving immediately until she remembers my condition.  
"Oh right…you got beat up…uhhh…" Prim says with a disappointed frown.  
Instead she just comes up to me and gives my head a little pat. I didn't see Katniss walk in and she drops the schoolwork on the coffee table. I smile at her and she walks up to me and gives me a pat on the head as well.  
"Hey there…" I say and I look up at her and receive a smile back.  
"Hey there." Katniss repeats.  
"I have your school work by the way, principal says that tomorrow's you last day of suspension. I'll bring all of your work in then." She continues.  
She takes a seat on the couch and I randomly ask her, "How was your day?"  
"Not very fun…It wasn't boring or bad. I just didn't enjoy it a lot." She says.  
"Why? Because I wasn't there?" I ask her cheekily.  
"For your information, I can last more days than you can without me or you." She says.  
"It's okay Katniss, I know you can't live without me. It's okay to say it was a boring there because I didn't come to the rescue." I say a little playfully.  
"That is partially true but who is it that doesn't want me to leave until he falls asleep. By the way you beg like a 6 year old." She shoots back with the same playful grin.  
"I do not! I just- well…" I stutter.  
Katniss laughs at my defeat and I grunt. After that we spend more time watching TV, Prim spends her time with their cat Buttercup and Mrs Everdeen gets busy somewhere else in the house. When the clock hits 4 Katniss wheels me into my room to get all of my schoolwork finished. We set ourselves on the table and start working on them straight away and I find myself staring at her straight away.  
She suddenly drops her pencil which startles me.  
"Okay I can't do this. What is it? If you want to ask or say something to me just say it."  
"Hmm? What?" I say in confusion because I'm still recovering from my daze.  
"Do you want to ask me something? You were staring so I thought…maybe there was something you wanted to ask me." She says and I didn't even realise me staring would make her feel uncomfortable in some way. Come to think of it, of all the times I've stared at her she never freaked out like this. Maybe I should mention it…  
"Nothing, I was just staring at you. You're never like this when I stare at you." I say.  
"Well, it just makes me feel queasy. You do it all the time now it feels…weird."  
"You don't like it? I mean it never bothered you I thought you were kind of okay with it. I'm sorry then…I'll try not to do it again." I say in disappointment and turn my head to look at the piece of work in front of me.  
We stay silent for quiet sometime unless I need help. When we've nearly finished Katniss excuses herself to go and cook dinner, I'm left alone in the room again until Prim comes in and decides to see what we were working on.  
"Wow! These things are really complex stuff." Prim says with a surprised tone.  
"Yeah…that's why I need your sister to help me."  
"You need my sister with everything," Prim says with an obvious tone.  
"Yeah…"I sigh, "I guess that's true."  
"I guess that's true…"She repeats in a dorky voice, "It is true! It always has been and it always will be!" Prim says this in an annoyed tone which kinda scared me.  
"Oh no! I don't mean to be mean, I'm just saying. I'm not jealous either…we can share her." When she says it makes me chuckle, especially the part about sharing her.  
"I can tell that you like her, _really _like her. Everyone can actually, it's pretty obvious."  
I turn bright red, is it really that obvious.  
"What are you talking about Prim? Your twelve years old." I say in a bit embarrassed.  
She just sighs and continues talking, "Mum sees it too." Prim says and I turn tomato red. How embarrassing is that? For Mrs Eveerdeen to be able to see that I like Katniss. But she doesn't know, Prim said anyway, she can only see it.  
"Is it really that obvious?" I ask Prim.  
"Yep! It's just the way you look at her now, we knew the moment you eyed her differently. Everyone knows actually, I think. Well…except Katniss of course."  
I look at Prim in complete disbelief, "You're 12 years old. How do you know all this stuff?"  
"Oh trust me, 12 year olds have their way of talking about stuff, you know you can just tell Katniss how you feel. I mean your best friends you tell each other secrets. Isn't this secret worth telling?" She says.  
I sigh at this, "Prim, it's not an easy thing to just say to your sister, Prim you know how she feels about love. And plus, I'm too chicken."  
"I know Peeta, I'm just saying, you need to make a move now or forever wish you had. You might be her best friend Peeta and you always spend your time together. But one day she'll eventually fall in love whether she wants to or not with you or someone else. Keep that in mind, you still remember that Jeffrey guy right? Do you want something like that to happen?" I have no idea that these kind of advice would come out of a twelve-year old like Prim.  
Instead of mentioning I answer her question, "No. I wouldn't want something like that to happen."  
"You two maybe young and you have much more to live for. But Peeta, you only live once. And I mean _once_, you don't get another life and you don't get to meet another girl like Katniss. So make the most of it and take every opportunity you can. Whether it's an opportunity on reaching your dream, becoming successful or being with the love of your life. You have got to take it." Prim says with seriousness and I find myself listening attentively.  
"Just find the right moment and tell her…" Prim says.  
"I'll try…" I mumble.  
"You better, just let your heart speak for you" She says back and just then Mrs Everdeen calls her to do some chores and then I'm alone again, which gives me time to think.  
_Just let your heart speak for you._  
That's the same advice Jackie gave me. Maybe I shouldn't plan all of this and just let it flow smoothly. Or not even think before I say anything, that might not be a good idea but it's a thought. Most importantly, I shouldn't be thinking about it like this because I'm planning. I take a breath.  
Just let your heart speak for you Peeta.

* * *

Chapter 11 done! I know you guys are getting impatient with the kiss but don't blame me. Blame Peeta, he's too chicken. And when I write in his point of view I really try to think about what goes on in his head, in the book he can't even get the courage to be able to talk to Katniss until years later. I'm thinking about the kiss though and I'm getting quite impatient too.  
Anyways, hopefully you guys like this. A bit short but I'm working on Chapter 12 at the same time.  
Review and ask me anything.  
Thank you guys for reading this and thank you again for your comments.

-RestlessIdeas


	12. Nothing

I do not own the Hunger Games or the movie(s) mentioned below. I'm just using the names.  
I'm extremely sorry for the wait. I'm also sorry that this chapter is a little bit shorter, I didn't want to leave you with nothing. Please enjoy this.

* * *

Living with the Everdeen girls feels like heaven to me. I really feel like I'm with a family. They've been so kind for the one day and half of this day that I've been here. It feels like I've been here longer but I really don't want to leave yet. Not when I have to go back and face my mother's tyranny. I haven't put much thought on what I should say to Katniss but what I feel about her and what Prim and Jackie has given me as a piece of advice.  
_"Just let your heart speak for you."  
_As a guy, I don't quite get it but in my own way I understand. I find myself losing control over my brain when I'm with Katniss and I say things that friends shouldn't really say to each other. That might be what it mean, letting you heart speak for you, it does bring awkwardness towards our friendship but it brings me closer to what I want, or maybe not.  
I'm over thinking again, I'm thinking too much that I don't even understand what I'm thinking about.  
Last night I had fun with Katniss though, after we ate dinner and finished our schoolwork/homework we played truth or dare, she made names up for my toes and played childish games that doesn't involve a lot of moving around for my sake. When I took my medicine again I knew I would be falling asleep soon. Katniss and Prim helped me get too bed and Katniss tucked me in. Before I fell asleep

Anyway, I've recovered quite a bit since yesterday. I can open my eye completely now and all there's left is a black eye and no more swelling, my leg feels quiet okay too. But walking and moving is not working out for me. I spend the rest of the day reviewing and decide to just read some more school books just so that I can get some knowledge in me. Dr. Brutus calls to ask Mrs Everdeen id there are any problems and she just mentioned how my eye looks a bit better. I take a nap again and wake up to Katniss telling me that I need to take my medicine.  
"But I just woke up, your telling me to take the sleeping pills with them." I say tiredly.  
"No, we took the sleeping pills out, you don't get them till tonight, just take the painkillers already."  
I take the pills and wash them down with water.  
"Oh yeah, It's Friday night. What are we going to do?" I ask Katniss.  
"First we need to finish you last lot of suspension work and then we can figure out what we can do."  
"Really?" I say.  
"Yes really."  
"You know, you can get in trouble for helping me out with this schoolwork stuff."  
"I'm helping you not giving you answers."  
"Sometimes you are," I say with a grin.  
"Yeah…sometimes."

After eating dinner Mrs Everdeen has to go to work for her night shift, Prim takes her laptop and tells her that she'll be in her room if we need her.  
"So, Friday night. What do you wanna do?" I ask Katniss while I watch her fix some things around the living room.  
"I don't know, well…we could watch some movies if you want." Katniss suggests.  
"A movie marathon…alright then. As long as we take turns on watching what movie." I say.  
"Of course, I'd want to know what goes on around my friends head." She says.  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"Nothing, lets watch at your room. In case you might fall asleep again, I am not carrying you to bed." Katniss says.  
Katniss wheels me to bed and helps me get in and feel comfortable, after that she goes back to the living room to grab some DVDs and she tells me that she'll be back after she dresses on her pyjamas. When she comes back in, she's carrying about hundreds of DVDs, a tub of ice cream with two spoons and my medicine. As soon as I see my medicine I frown.  
As soon as Katniss sees the expression on my face she says, "Don't worry I didn't add the sleeping pills in." My frown suddenly turns into a smile.  
Katniss makes me take my medicine and lies down in the space next to me. She places the tub of ice-cream on the night table.  
"Uhh, Katniss could you help me take my shirt off?" I ask embarrassingly.  
She looks at me with a joking expression and says, "Why?"  
"I like sleeping with my shirt off."  
"Won't it be cold?"  
"No, because I have bandages around my stomach and it feels uncomfortable having a shirt off."  
"Ok then…" We help find a less excruciating position for my arms but when Katniss starts tugging at my shirt I start wincing and I bite my lip to stop the sounds. I keep my eyes closed until I feel that my shirt is completely off. I open my eyes and look at Katniss' worried expression.  
"I'm okay… I am really…" I slowly take deep breaths in and tell Katniss that we should choose a film now.  
"So what should we watch first?" She says, "I'm going to make you choose first." I say.  
"Alright…uhhh…what about this one. I haven't watched it yet and we just bought it 2 weeks ago." She points to 'Mirror Mirror'.  
"That look entertaining, Snow White and stuff…yeah leats watch that." I say.  
"Ok let me put it in." She walks down to the TV and I admire her cute attire. She wears a nicely polka dotted pyjama pants and a hello kitty shirt. Her hair is undone and it's a little bit curly form her braiding it. She looks so beautiful and cute at the same time it's adorable. It makes me smile and chuckle a little. When she hears me she turns around.  
"What's wrong?" She asks me.  
"You look cute…that's all." She blushes when I say that and it makes my heart leap. She looks even cuter.  
"You look beautiful in everything but you remind me of when we were like 9 when you dress like that," I continue. Katniss blushes even deeper and out of the blue I start to feel a little embarrassed.  
"Well…say something…" I say.  
She shakes her head and opens her mouth to say something, "Uhhh, let's just watch the movie. Open the tub of ice cream and take your painkillers already."  
I do as she says and wait for her to climb in the bed but before she does that she closes the light.  
When she settles down I ask her, "Comfy?"  
"Very." She replies.  
She hands me a spoon and sets the tub of ice-cream on my lap.  
"Oh! That's cold." I say.  
"Man up." Katniss says and taps my nose.  
We watch the movie and eat the ice-cream. But after a while, my hand starts getting sore and I ask Katniss to feed me instead.  
"You know I won't be able to watch the movie if you're going to be making me do this." Katniss says and starts scooping ice-cream onto my spoon.  
I ignore her comment and open my mouth, she doesn't look at me when she directs onto my mouth though because she's looking at the TV but she targets my chin.  
"Hey!"  
She turns her face around and burst out laughing. I give her a look that says 'Really?'  
"I'm…so…sorry" She says in between giggles.  
"Here…let me." She says calming down a bit. She garbs my spoon and scoops the ice-cream bits that fell down form the spoon and onto my lap. Once she's done that she looks at my chin and smile, "Let me get that too." She says and wipes the ice-cream off my chin before she can take her hand away I grab it and lick the ice-cream off her hand.  
She puts on a disgusted face and I give her a smile.  
"Ewwww…"  
I laugh at her and her reaction and immediately put a protective hand over my ribs.  
"Why'd you do that?!" She says in disgust and wipes her hand on my pants. I keep on laughing at the way she's handling what I just did and because a really funny scene just came up. I tell Katniss I'm sorry because I couldn't help it and we watch and eat the ice-cream until the movie ends.  
"Well, that was good. What's next hand licker" She says.  
"I don't know…" I scan through the DVDs and look for one that catches my attention.  
"The Lorax. That's a new one." I say.  
"Okay then, go put it on."  
I look at her with a dumbfounded expression, did she just say that she wanted me to walk over the DVD player and put the DVD on. She looks at me with a confused expression until realisation covers her face.  
"Oh right..." She drops her head down and slaps her head with her hand.  
"I...so…stupid…" She says and grabs the DVD off my hand and put it on.  
She starts walking back to the bed and I smile widely at her, I stare at her again while she walks back. I get her pillow ready while she starts settling into bed.  
"What are you looking?" She says and she turns around to look behind her.  
"Someone extremely beautiful." I burst out. _Whoa. Did I just say that?_  
He face turns red, "That's sweet…" she says and gets comfortable.  
"Katniss…I- What would you- Uhhhh."  
"Yeah?"  
"How would yo-. If I…" I take a deep breath, I'm making a fool of myself.  
"Peeta, what is it?"  
"I can't. Ugh!" I turn my face away from her and drop my hands in my lap.  
"I…I can't watch the movie like this." I continue.  
"What do you mean?"  
"I mean, not when you're close to me, you give me the most beautiful smiles and you look at me with those beautiful grey eyes. You just…" _What am I saying?  
_Katniss gives me a quizzical looks as if she's trying to figure me out, "So you don't want me here?" She asks a little upset.  
"I mean I can go if that's what you want…" and then she starts uncovering herself with the blanket and I garb her hand quickly.  
"No!" the word stumbles out of my lips.  
"I want you here, I'm just…I find it hard to watch when you keep talking the spotlight away from the television and the movie itself."  
"Peeta…What are you on about? You've been acting so…weird and uncomfortable lately."  
She said uncomfortable, that's how she felt with Jeffrey when he was trying to get close to her. I feel my head drop with disappointment. Why do I even try? She doesn't want to have a boyfriend or anything like that. If I keep letting myself act this way it will just ruin everything I have with Katniss.  
"Peeta, what's wrong? Peeta look at me."  
I have _no chance _with her. Friends, that what we're going to be for the rest of our lives.  
"Do I…what am I to you Katniss?"  
"I- You're everything to me Peeta…"  
"What would you do if I said I loved you?" _Why can't I just shut my mouth!  
_"You always say you love me Peeta."  
I take a breath, "If I say that I'm _in _love with you. What would you do?"  
My choice of words sink in on her and she looks away and at the TV.  
"Maybe…maybe we should just watch the movie Peeta." He starts looking for the remote so that she can press play.  
_I'm an idiot! I'm just breaking my own heart!  
_"I'm sorry…sometimes I just can't shut my mouth. I know how you feel about…" She doesn't turn her face around to look at me but just looks at the TV and starts getting the spoon for the ice-cream.  
_Maybe I should just think before I say anything.  
_I sigh in disappointment and turn my head to look at the TV to find the characters of the movie singing. This brings a tiny smile on my face because it's looked quite funny but I'm so disappointed that I frown again. I tilt my head back to the headboard and close my eyes in frustration with myself.  
"I would think that you're crazy…" I open my eyes immediately and turn my head to look at Katniss. She's still watching the movie but she said it, it wasn't the kind of answer that I was looking for but it means a lot. She doesn't like the idea of me being in love with her. I don't know if she thinks I am because I asked her that question or whether she doesn't. I just wish I knew.  
"…I would stay away from you because you're a freak…" She continues and it hurts.  
"We're friends Peeta; nothing is going to change that…" She turns her head to look at me, "Nothing." She says.  
I turn my head away from her and drop my head to look at my lap.  
_What if I changed that? _ I wanted to ask her, but I think she just wants to watch the movie.  
Maybe letting your heart speak for you wasn't a very good idea but it helped me find out how she feels. To think that I have a chance with her is such a stupid thought. I start getting angry, not at her, but at me. At me for letting myself fall for Katniss.  
"Why?" I choke out.  
"Peeta…this is silly, let's just watch the movie alright."  
I stay silent; I tilt my head up to look at the TV. I really don't feel like watching, I just don't want to now. I'm not happy, especially with myself.  
"I…I don't want to watch." I manage to say.  
I see Katniss turn her head to look at me from the corner of my eye, I turn my head to look at her too.  
"Katniss…Katniss I'm tired. I want to go to sleep." I tell her.  
Katniss looks at me in anger, confusion and disappointment at the same time.  
She clears, her throat, "If that's what you want." She says.  
She gets up and turns the DVD player off as well as the TV. She starts packing all the DVDs away and start leaning back onto the bed and put the blanket over me.  
"Goodnight…"  
I don't respond, I just close my eyes and listen to her let out a sigh and leave the room.  
I ruin everything; I just can't shut my damn mouth! Everything was fine until I had to ruin it.  
I think back to what she has said.  
_We're friends Peeta; nothing is going to change that...Nothing.  
_Nothing.

I take a deep breath. I'm not giving up on Katniss, not yet anyway…  
I want to try, I _have _to try. I need her to know how love makes you feel. I'm not going to stop until she knows.

* * *

I'm very sorry for the wait. Don't worry about the next chapter, you don't have to wait long for that.  
Hopefully you enjoyed it and please leave me you thoughts.  
Cheers!

-RestlessIdeas


	13. I Know

Thank you so much guys for the reviews on the last chapter. It's good to know that you are enjoying the story.  
This chapter has a lot of surprises in it. It doesn't really make sense to me even though I wrote it, don't ask me why. Just read it and tell me what you think, what you want and what you guys don't like.  
Enjoy this chapter.  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games, never have, never will.

* * *

The last couple of days have had a lot of awkwardness and fun into it. Mrs Everdeen has taken care of me and I've never felt better. My shoulders are basically fine and so are my arms and I can push my wheelchair around. Sometimes I try to stand up and walk but my knee cap doesn't like me bouncing and limping around and my ribs don't like that idea too. My eye is perfectly fine, my bruises are fading, and I don't need bandages anymore. Just for my knee. I can laugh now too, but not too hard.  
I've been here for a total of five days. It's Monday.  
After Friday night last week I really didn't want to spend a lot of time with Katniss so that I could just think for a second. She didn't bother me though; maybe she needs to think as well. I realised on that Saturday that my feeling for Katniss isn't a secret anymore. She knows, I could just tell. By the way she doesn't want to be really close to me, when she doesn't want to look me in the eye the moment Prim wheeled me out of bed.  
But when I got a moment alone with her I didn't talk at all about what happened just a few hours ago. I simply just start with a happy good morning and a little joke. I start to have a conversation too; I got her to talk to me but not for long.  
For the few days after that all I've been trying to do was get our friendship back on track and forget that Friday night never happened. That's all I've tried to do and it worked, were okay again. Everytime Katniss and I make our friendship go downhill it's when we mention anything that has to do with falling in love with each other and anything like that. I don't even try to make her understand what falling in love makes you do because all I want is to be okay with her again. I remain to act as her friend and not make things a lot awkward.

I let my heart speak that Friday night and it made me say what I've been trying to say to her. My heart also made me go back to her again and try to get thinks back on track. I don't try to let my heart do things for me, not until now.  
I don't want to just sit here and just be her friend. Like what Prim said, I'm going to take the opportunity and make her mine. I don't know how this is going to go but my heart knows what it's doing.  
I impatiently wait for Katniss and Prim at the balcony to come home, Mrs Everdeen had to go to work because it was an emergency, I had to convince her that I'll be fine while she's gone and that Katniss and Prim will be coming home soon.  
When I hear Prim's laughter and see Katniss' braided hair I wave to them and Prim starts storming at me.  
"Hey, slow down little duck." I tell her when she reaches me.  
"How was school?"  
"It was good, nothing exciting…" She says with a frown.  
When Katniss manages to reach the doorway she says, "Come one little duck, go inside and get cracking on your homework."  
"Ugh, older sisters ruin everything. Kinda." Prim says then walks past me to go inside the house.  
"Hey there…" I say.  
"Hi, all the teachers were pretty with how well you did on your suspension work." She says.  
"Only because you helped me…"  
Katniss lets out a sigh, "Peeta, please don't. No more 'because you helped me' stuff."  
I roll my eyes and turn my wheels to go back inside the house, "You never minded before you knew that I lo-, never mind." I say this over my shoulder and head for the living room. This is what happens to Katniss and I all the time, everytime I try to compliment her she gets all uncomfortable. I mean, I've been complementing her ever since I could remember. Katniss and I are still friends but we're working on getting things on the right track and it is hard because I'm always getting side tracked and let this kind of things slip out of my mouth. I've ran out of ideas, all I want now is for her to love me back. But everytime Katniss does this, everytime she doesn't like the idea of me trying to be nice to her or complementing her it makes me mad, not at me but at her. And I don't want to get mad at her.  
"Peeta…" She starts and I wait for her to continue, she doesn't.  
I sigh and continue moving to the living room.  
Afterwards, Katniss cooks us dinner as we wait for Mrs Everdeen to come home. The three of us all sit together in the living room, because I can manage to move a little. I get myself to sit down on the couch. But I still need a little help. Prim lies on the lazy boy and Katniss sits down in the comforter on my right side.  
Again, I find myself staring at her while she works and I smile to myself more than to her. I start getting those funny feelings again. She brings her head up all of a sudden and I we look at each other, she smiles at me and I turn my head back at the TV.  
Why am I acting this way? Why can't I just accept the fact that I will never get her to like me? I shake my head at the though, don't think like that. You'll get there…

After a few more minutes Prim excuses herself so that she can check her Facebook status. I chuckle at her and she says, "What? I need to see if anything has been going on."  
When she leaves all I can hear is Katniss scratching things down on her book and the sound of laughter on the show that I'm watching.  
When I hear Katniss put her books down, I look at her in confusion. She starts making her way down to me. I watch her walk down to me and she smiles. She sits down on the couch and snuggles next to me. I see her hand and I take a hold of it, she rests her head on my shoulder.  
"I'm sorry…" I hear her mumble.  
"About what? You have nothing to be sorry about."  
"No, for ignoring you and when you try to make things better and I make it worse."  
I look down at her head and sigh, "You don't have to be sorry, I've already forgiven you."  
She looks up at me and places her chin on my shoulder, I smile at her and she does the same.  
"Can we just forget what we talked about on Friday?" She asks me and I frown.  
She sees my frown and confusion covers her face.  
"It's true then." She says.  
"Yeah, all of it. I do love you; I know you wouldn't accept t. I know how you feel about love and I had no idea how I was going to tell you. I don't want to ruin our friendship."  
Katniss untangles herself from me and leans back on the couch.  
"Katniss…please…" I plead.  
"You're a great guy Peeta. You will make a girl so happy one day." She starts and my heart breaks.  
"Katniss, please don't do this…" I feel my eyes tearing up.  
"Peeta, I can't- I won't…I won't be able to love you back the way you love me."  
I shake my head at what she's saying, "Peeta, listen to me." She caresses my cheek and continues, "There are so many girls out there whose life you would complete."  
Why is she saying this?  
"Why can't you just accept that fact that I'm in love with you and nothing will change that…nothing." I mutter.  
"Because Peeta, I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to get hurt too. Peeta, you don't understand, love hurts." She says and I shake my head.  
"It does, at times. But it makes you the happiest person you can be."  
"Peeta I've seen the things love can do, It doe-" I stop her words with my lips.  
There. I did it, I'm kissing her. As soon as I feel my lip on her I feel nothing but emptiness but then I feel her kiss back. All of the different feelings I've felt about her all those months turn into one and I feel right there in my chest, where my heart is. I feel tears fall down my own eyes because of my heartbreak I can taste them. Nice and salty along with Katniss' soft lips. I find my arms encircle around her waist, somehow Katniss' hands have their way around my neck.  
I feel my ribs hurting and I need to lean back soon but I don't want to let go. I wait a few more seconds until I slowly lean back, but not too far, I keep my forehead against hers. I slowly catch my breath and pray for a miracle and then I say, "If you lend me your heart I won't break it. I'll make you happy; I'll let you know how it feels like to fall in love. Katniss please…Just give me a chance"  
My heart sure knows what its doing.  
I see Katniss close her eyes and inhale a shakily.  
"I love you," I mumble.  
"…Peeta…will it make you happy?" She asks.  
"It will complete my whole life if you say those words too."  
Katniss leans back but I don't let go.  
"It's a little early for me to say that…" She mumbles.  
"You don't have to, I can wait. I'll wait forever if I have to." I say and I feel my tears fall down.  
"Peeta, don't- don't cry. I never meant to hurt you. I just want to make you happy."  
She starts wiping my tears away with her hand.  
"I don't want to hurt you…but I'll…maybe- maybe I should…give…love a…chance."  
I look up and look at her eyes. Her beautiful grey eyes and I get lost in them in just a second.  
"Are- are you for- for real?" I tremble.  
She nods and I smile, I smile so wide that it starts hurting my cheeks. She sees my excitement and smiles with me.  
"Can I, ummm. Can I kiss you again?" I ask.  
She sighs and I'm scared that I'm going to get rejected.  
But I don't.  
I don't because; she's the one that leans in. My mind is completely blank, I think about nothing but the way her lips feel soft on mine. After a few moments I start moving my lips against her and she follows. Our kiss turns passionate and the ways that I'm holding Katniss isn't doing my ribs and stomach any good. Before I can stop myself I let out a groan because it hurts and Katniss stops our kiss immediately.  
"What's wrong?" She asks me.  
"Uhhh…" I try to catch my breath and lean back on the sofa, I put a hand over my stomach and close my eyes to try and drown out the pain.  
I hear Katniss telling me to breath and I listen to her beautiful voice. Her voice, one of my favourite things about Katniss. When she sings, I swear, the birds outside stop to listen. I take hold of her hand, open my eyes and manage to say one request, "Can you sing for me? You can make things so much better by singing."  
I see her blush, "If you want." She says.  
I close my eyes again, I listen to her voice and find myself fall in love with it.  
_I promise you, in no time your heart will have no more walls. I'll make you the happiest person you can be, because I love you._

* * *

I spend the next couple of days showing my love to Katniss. I also try to heal myself faster and do what Mrs Everdeen says so that I'm better in no time. I get dad, Chris or Sam visit at times but just to check on me. They don't come all the time, mum probably doesn't want them to come and see if I'm okay or not.  
Whenever I get the chance, I kiss her. I'm always asking her to stay with me at night because I just don't want to let her go. Katniss though, accepts my kisses and my wants. I still remember what she said that night on our first kiss; how it's a little early to say 'I love you'. I understand that, I try not to think about it and let it bother me. To me, anyway, I feel like were a couple. With one person already being in love and the other learning the art of love. The word spread around the household easily, I often find myself in awkward moments with Mrs Everdeen and Prim give me a nudge and a few winks. Word got to Cato, Gale, Madge and Delly pretty fast too. Just a few days ago they came over Katniss house and told us that it was about time.  
I like this new turn to my friendship with Katniss, every day I can just tell Katniss how beautiful she is and how much I love her and she doesn't have to get confused because she knows why.

I've been with the Everdeens for a total of 1 week and 2 days. Its Sunday today, I don't need my wheelchair anymore, I still need help with walking though and I still limp around. My ribs still ache but they're getting better every day, my knee is getting better but it's the reason why I limp around.  
It's Sunday, Mrs Everdeen and Prim went out to the city because Prim wanted to go ice skating. I hear Katniss washing the dishes from this afternoon's lunch. I slowly and cautiously walk to the kitchen where she is. When I see her all too familiar braid, I smile. I use the counter top to lean on as I walk my way to the sink.  
"Hey…" Katniss says as she looks over her shoulder.  
"Hey, are you going to finish soon or…?" I say.  
"Be patient, good things happen to those who actually wait."  
"Well I can't wait any longer." I complain.  
"If you keep complaining I might as well make you wait,"  
"Alright, I'll stop complaining and I'll wait…impatiently." I mumble.  
I then make my way to the long side of the counter and lean my back on it while I wait…impatiently.  
I stare and look at Katniss' back and I start thinking.  
_If only, if only she knew how it feels like to know that someone has you back. That someone loves you. And if only I knew how to make her feel the same way.  
_Now I know that kisses and caressing won't change much of that. I don't even think she feels that confusing and yet warm feeling you get on your chest when you kiss someone. Kisses won't make her fall in love with me; it's just lips to lips to her. Lips to lips, that's all it is to her and if I really think about it, it's just lips to lips for me too. I wonder how she feels about kissing me, I should ask her that.  
"Katniss?"  
"Hmm"  
"How do you- I mean, what do you, uhhh, feel when you…kiss me?" I ask shyly. I get no response but the sound of a couple of last dishes being rinsed. After a few more seconds, when she manages to finish rinsing all of the plates, I hear her sigh and then she turns around.  
"It…" She starts saying and walks up to me.  
"…feels nice…" She says and wraps her arms around my neck and I wrap mine around her waist. I smile at her and lean in until our lips are against each other's.  
Instantly our kiss turns passionate and I can feel Katniss' smile against my lips. Katniss pulls away and I follow her lips as she leans back.  
She gives a laugh, I open my eyes and I turn due to embarrassment.  
"Slow down Casanova" She says with a giggle.  
I shrug, "I can't help myself." I say and make our lips meet again.  
"So…what…do you…want to…do…today…" She says in between kisses.  
"Anything you…want" I say.  
After that Katniss and I decided we should just go out in the sun and take a picnic at Katniss' little balcony outside her bedroom.

"Okay, can you help me sit down?" I tell Katniss.  
"Sure, no problem." She says,  
Katniss helps me take a seat on the wooden foundation where I'm comfortable, especially with my knee, and she sits in front of me with treats in front of us. There are chocolate muffins, some sandwiches with chocolate butter, lollies, a few chocolate and some water and tea for refreshments.  
"They look so good…" I say while licking my lips.  
Katniss tells me to dig in and I just choose whatever I want. After eating, I position myself so that I'm lying on Katniss lap and she's playing with my hair.  
"Your hair has gone longer." She says as she runs her hand through my hair.  
"That's nice to know…" I say.  
"You're hands are really soft…" I continue.  
"That's nice to know…" She says and I smile.  
I start sitting up so that I'm face to face with Katniss and I'm leaning on both of my arms. Katniss gives me a look of confusion and I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.  
"You're so beautiful…" I say.  
She smiles at me and I lean in to give her a kiss. Katniss doesn't object, she never does, she always kisses back. It surprises me that she does; it surprises me because, for someone who is afraid of falling in love, she's a good kisser. I put my hand on her cheek to bring her face closer and she places her hands around my neck. I let out a moan and start leaning forward, which makes Katniss lie back on the wooden flooring. I keep pushing her forward slowly until she's lying on the floor and I'm on top of her. I'm amazed that my ribs aren't starting to hurt in the position I'm in.  
"I…love you…" I mumble.  
Katniss starts moving her hands up to my hair. I lean up for a few more seconds to just to catch my breath and let her see my big wide smile.  
"I know…" she says in a shaky breath. My big wide smile turns into a small fake one.  
_I know…she knows…that it…she just knows…_  
"Peeta?" Katniss says and moves her hand to my cheek.  
I shake my head so I don't have to think about it and just lean back down to kiss her again.

* * *

Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter. I didn't want to make you guys wait too long for my chapters to come out, I just can't fit a right time to write them. I will get the chapters finished as soon as I can.  
Please review and thank you for the guys who have stuck by this story.  
A littler reminder, this is my first fanfiction. I really need you guys to review and let me know if I'm doing things the right way. For the people who tell me what they think, thank you guys. Mean sooo MUCH!  
Thanks for reading again, I'll try to get the chapters up as fast as I can.

-RestlessIdeas


	14. A Dance In His Arms

THANK YOU soooo much guys for your reviews and compliments. I really try to add the time to finish these chapters earlier and to your expectations. Please forgive me for making you wait for a while. You guys are the best you know that,  
Also, thank you for the readers who have stayed and waited for the chapters. Thank you for not abandoning this story. And if you guys want to request something for further chapters please do.  
If you guys are quiet a fan of Cato and Katniss read The Ones Who Brought The Fire by I-piTy-Da-FoOl. I'm not a big Katniss and Cato fan but I guarantee you guys will love this.  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games, never have, never will.

Hopefully you enjoy this.

* * *

I wake up to the sound of Prim singing loudly in the hallway. I slowly get up from the bed and I stretch.  
Wait! I can stretch!  
I do it again. There, no pain. My ribs feel better, way better. I start walking and I still limp. No pain, but I'm limping. I try to test my ribs again.  
I bend down, it's fine.  
I bend down further, I feel quite sore.  
I'm satisfied with that, at least I can move around without hurting too much.  
I make my way out my room and into the kitchen to see the Everdeen girls. When I reach the kitchen I see the back of Prim's head sitting down at the dining table eating breakfast.  
"Hey Prim, where's your mother. I need to tell her something."  
Prim turns around and smiles, "She went to work. What do you need to tell her anyway? You don't usually wake up looking for my mum. You look for my sister."  
"I feel better, like loads better. My ribs are fine. I can stretch and bend down, but not too far."  
"Wow, really." She says sounding quiet surprised.  
"Try swivelling around."  
I do as she says, my ribs start hurting again after a few turns.  
"Ow. Well, I might be completely healed by tomorrow." I mumble.  
"Oh no…" She says and frowns.  
"Why? What's wrong?"  
""That means you'll be going home soon. I mean, I don't like seeing you being hurt and all but you'll be leaving."  
"Aww Prim, I don't want to leave too."  
"And then there's your mother…"  
I sigh and look at Prim, "I'll be fine. You know what, why don't I stay here for the rest of the week or until I am fully healed and everything. That way, when my mum tells me to do something I can do it and she doesn't have to get so angry."  
"Alright, I'm going to get ready for school." She says then walks out the room.  
I wonder where Katniss is.  
I walk out of the kitchen and around the house to look for her. I'm in the hallway when I hear voice, she's singing again. I follow her beautiful voice and it leads me to the bathroom, as soon as I step inside the room my heart skips a beat. Katniss' hair is down and she's busily brushing it. I know having Katniss' hair down isn't at all exciting or anything, but I always really see her with her hair in a braid and having her hair down is a rare thing.  
When Katniss stops singing I find myself back in reality.  
"Morning," she says while looking at me through the mirror.  
"Morning beautiful…" I say and walk up to her.  
"How are you feeling?" She asks me.  
"Better actually, my ribs feel great but it hurts when I move around too much or cause it any sudden movements." I say and I find myself behind her and I wrap my arms around Katniss as if I will never let her go.  
"What's wrong?" She asks me.  
"Nothing, I just don't want to let go of you. Ever." I say and burrow my face in her hair and smell the sweet scent of lavender.  
"Peeta…are you okay about this?"  
"About what?"  
"About me?"  
"You're not making sense…" I say in confusion.  
She drops the hairbrush and turns around to face me.  
"About…me not feeling the same way as you do."  
I take a breath; I really don't want to talk about this because I've never really thought about it. I actually _try_ not to think about it.  
I look at her hair and forget about her question but absent-mindedly start running my fingers thru it.  
"Your hair's so soft." I say absent-mindedly too.  
I see Katniss look at where my fingers are in her hair then look at me, but I'm not looking at her, I'm looking at her dark hair and my fingers.  
Katniss wraps her arms around my neck then turns my face to face hers. She looks me in the eye and she looks kind of hurt.  
I'm about to open my mouth to ask her if there's anything wrong but she stops me by giving me a tender kiss. As I kiss her I get those funny feelings again. I move my hand to her neck so that I could tilt my head a bit.  
_About…me not feeling the same way as you do…  
_What Katniss said a while ago makes me stop kissing her.  
"Katniss I just, I don't want to think anymore." I say softly and hopefully that answers her question.  
"I don't want to think too." She says and I lean to kiss her again.  
I hear a loud cough which make me stop kissing Katniss and jump a little bit.  
"Could you guys like…find another room because this room is for washing and stuff, it's not really for kissing. I mean…it is called bathroom not kissing room. Duh..." Prim stands there with her eyebrows raised in a lecturing manner.  
"Are you guys just going to stare at me like that or…what?" She continues.  
I shake my head and say, "Yeah, ummm…Katniss was just getting ready. You two girls can use the bathroom and I'll just go and eat breakfast or something." I say and start walking out of the bathroom.

"What? I don't understand." I ask Prim one more time.  
"She says that she has different and kind of mixed feeling about you. Sometime you make her feel happy; other times when she kisses you it feels almost…heavenly. She just doesn't know what to do about them. I don't think she has fallen head over heels for you but…you know…at least this shows that her walls are starting to break." Prim says while shaking my shoulders.  
"So you're saying that; I make her feel certain ways at certain times but she doesn't know whether or not its love?" I ask her curiously.  
"Something like that, she didn't make sense too when she said that and she said it was all too confusing so she doesn't really talk about it." Prim continues.  
_"Katniss I just, I don't want to think anymore."  
"I don't want to think too."  
_I remember her words from this morning.  
"Wait. When did she tell you this?" I ask Prim.  
"Actually I asked her about you, our conversation was held inside the bathroom when you left us."  
"Thanks Prim, can I go and pee now or are you going to make me hold it for another like hundred years."  
"Oh right sorry, just yeah. You can go now, just wanted to tell you before you and Katniss get all…you know…" She says and moves out of the way so that I can go to the toilet.  
_At least her walls are cracking._  
I shake the thought away because I really don't want to think about it right now. I just hurts too much.  
Once I've finished peeing I look for Katniss and I find her out on the backyard porch, sitting down on their outdoor sofa while doing her homework. At the sight of her I start getting my funny feelings…  
I smile and slowly walk up to her. She lifts her head up and sees me, and then she scoots over to leave me some room.  
"What you doing there?" I ask her when I finally manage to sit down.  
"Just doing some Biology stuff…" She doesn't look away from the booklet and scribbles busily.  
I turn my head to the nice and green grass area and the nice blue sky. I can hear the soft romantic sound of the radio form inside. I understand why Katniss would study outside, Mrs Everdeen cranks that radio up everytime she puts it on her favourite radio channel with all of those ballads. They're really beautiful songs too, studying inside would be nice with the nice and sweet sound of music but it's just too loud and you can't concentrate.  
I listen to the song that's playing, I start nodding my head to it. Then I start tapping my foot. I suddenly feel the need to dance. I turn my head to look at Katniss.  
Then I stand up and walk until I am in front of her and looking over her. Katniss realises my presence and looks up at me with a look of confusion in her face. I slowly put my hand out for her to take. She looks at my hand then behind me, at the back door I think, and then she looks at me again. Suddenly a look of realisation crosses her face.  
"Oh no…Peeta, I need to get this homework finished." She says and I give her a look of disappointment.  
"Come on please…" I say pleadingly, "I really want this." I continue.  
Katniss looks like she's about to disagree again so I just take her hand and pull her to stand. This type of action makes her books fall of her lap and into the floor. I pull her much more closer to me then place one of my hands on her waist while the other one is on her hand.  
Katniss bites her lip, rolls her eyes then places one of her hands on my shoulder. I smile at her and then take a step closer.  
We can silently hear the music form inside then I start moving around, just using tiny steps. I move closer to Katniss until our cheeks our touching each other's sides.  
We spend a few more minutes just going around in circles.  
"This is a nice song isn't it?" I whisper into Katniss' ear.  
I feel her nod, "Yeah…this is nice."  
I take a few steps back, take her hand and give her a twirl. Katniss lets out a giggle I've never heard before. Sure I've heard her giggle but not like this, it sounds so girly. Katniss isn't that girly so to hear her giggle like that makes me feel like I'm doing things right and happy.  
I do it some more, twirl Katniss around, move Katniss around and just enjoy this time with Katniss.  
After 2 songs and the third one is playing Katniss and I are just swaying to the soft melody of the music. She has her head comfortably on my shoulder, I wrap both my arms around her waist and her arms are both around my neck.  
I hear Katniss humming to the song and it makes me smile.  
"You know this song?" I ask her.  
"Yeah, one of mum's favourite songs." She says in her soft voice then continues humming.  
"Can you…sing it for me?"  
"…but just look at us holding on…were still together, still going strong…" Her voice sounds like the angels singing up in Heaven. I just love it.  
"…You're still the I run to, the one that I belong to, you're still the one I want for life…you're still the one that I love…the only one I dream of. You're still the one…I'd kiss goodnight."  
"You sound so beautiful" I say.  
"…Ain't nothing better, we beat the odds together. I'm glad we didn't listen, look at what we would be missing…" She continues.  
I give Katniss a kiss on the neck and she sighs. She goes back to humming and murmuring the sing. I feel a little disappointed but as long as I have Katniss in my arms; I'm happy.

* * *

Thank you guys for reading!  
The song Katniss was humming/singing was You're Still the One by Shania Twain. I love that song, you guys should listen to it.  
I will really try to give you guys the best chapters I can and in earlier times. Please leave what you think and don't forget; if you want to recommend something for further chapters that would be great. I need some of them for further chapters as well. ^^  
Thank you guys again and hopefully you enjoyed that. Not very long but I just try to find the time to write these. I'm deeply sorry for that.  
Please review.

-RestlessIdeas


	15. Always

Thank you guy soooooo much for the reviews and comments! I really appreciate it.  
You guys are so awesome. Also, I want to thank all the people you have been patiently waiting for me to finish these chapters and for the guys who have stayed and kept reading this story. Means so much.  
Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Hunger Games.

* * *

Every day that I spend with Katniss make me fall in love with her deeper and deeper.  
She's beautiful.  
She's brave.  
She's unique. It's not every day you meet a girl like her.  
I feel so lucky I heard her sing on that first day of school.  
If I never met Katniss I have no idea what I would be doing right now. If I would ever lose Katniss I would just give up on everything, because she's my everything. A lot of people say that when they lose someone that they love a piece of them dies, for me I stop living completely…completely.  
No one and nothing can make me change how I feel about Katniss, not even my mother.

It's been 3 days since that Monday Katniss and I danced on the porch. I've felt better since and I know that I'm completely healed. My Dad visited earlier this morning, when Katniss and Prim have already gone to school, to check up on me. He saw that I was all fine, I don't need my pain killers anymore, I walk around perfectly fine, I can carry stuff and I think I'm completely healed. I got better quicker than Dr Brutus thought. Dad said that he'll pick me up around the afternoon once I've said my goodbyes and gotten all of my things packed and ready to go.  
So now Mrs Everdeen and I are standing outside waiting for the girl to arrive.  
"Katniss and Prim are really going to see you once you've left." Mrs Everdeen says.  
"I would love to stay a bit more but I don't want to trouble you." I say.  
"Oh don't worry about that. You can stay here as long as you want, when you want. You're basically family Peeta."  
I give Mrs Everdeen a big, wide and happy smile. She's so nice.  
"You know, I've never seen Katniss beg to stay a few minutes before I take her to school. She wants to spend just a few more minutes, just a few minutes, with you. It's a different side to Katniss." She says while looking at the neighbours.  
I blush a little, it's nice to know that but I mean I still feel quite embarrassed by it. Mrs Everdeen seems to see my little blush and laughs softly.  
"The way you look at her Peeta…it's just like how Katniss' Dad and your Dad used to look at me."  
When she says this it catches my attention, she usually stays quiet about my Dad and her husband. She barely talks about love or when she even fell in love.  
"The way your blue eyes shine when you see her, how could I forget that look?" She says.  
Of course Mrs Everdeen doesn't love my Dad but they dated and she might still remember their times together.  
"I- Katniss- I haven't seen Katniss look at me that way. Hopefully she will." I mumble.  
Mrs Everdeen looks at me with an expression that I can't quiet muster. A mixture of sadness, confusion and pity covers her face.  
"I think Katniss already looks at you that way. She cares a lot about you. Who knows, you might end up being my son in-law." She says and I blush, deeply.  
"Uhhhh…I hope so. That's something that you could just wish for." I say, looking down, trying to hide my red face.  
Ms Everdeen gives a slight laugh and then see Katniss and Prim across street, ready to cross. When they reach us Prim asks straight away, "What's wrong? Are you leaving now?"  
"My Dad came by this morning to check on me and he saw that I'm completely fine. Yes, I will be going." I say.  
"Awww, but I wanted you to teach me how to paint today." Prim says then starts unzipping her bag, "Look, Rue even lent me some brushes and paints" Prim says and widens up her bag so that I can see the brushes and paints that her friend lent her.  
I feel quiet disappointed, "Why didn't you ask your friend yesterday or tell me? We could've have done it then." I let out a sigh. "Don't worry I'll try to get us a time to paint together." I continue.  
"Oh alright." She says and then a white pick-up car pulls over at the driveway. Its all too familiar white colour and scratch marks cannot deny that it's not my Dad. Dad gets out of the car and we watch him make his way up to us.  
"Ah, well hey there guys. Have you all said your goodbyes?" Dad says.  
"Not quiet…" Prim says.  
"Oh. Well it might be hard to just let someone, who has been living with you for about 4 weeks, go. It's not the end of the world. We just live a few streets away, he can visit you anytime." He says cheerfully, "Alright, I'll take your bag in the car and you can continue…" Dad says then bends down to gather my bags then he makes his way to his car.  
"Oh well, I guess I'll just see you around…" Prim says sounding quiet upset.  
"Remember Peeta, you're always welcome." Mrs Everdeen says then wraps an arm around Prim's shoulder and then they both go inside.  
"Yeah, you're family Peeta." Katniss adds and I smile at her.  
"Come here…" I say and open my arms.  
She gets into them and she fits perfectly.  
"I'll miss not hearing your voice in the morning." I tell Katniss.  
"It'll be fine; we see each other every day anyway." She says, she leans back but we keep our arms around each other. I put my forehead against Katniss and smile.  
"I've been the happiest person I can be while staying with you 3 girls." I say and lean in to give her peck.  
"Make sure you come to school tomorrow." She says.  
"Tomorrow's Friday…really?" I ask in a kind of sarcastic and disbelief like manner.  
"Please? By the way, Fridays are when you and you team practice basketball. Even though you haven't been at school for about 4 weeks, their still waiting for you." She says.  
I think hard about his for a moment. Doing basketball just as soon as I recovered, but I mean I've felt really good for the past 2 days.  
"Alright then…better than staying home with my mother." I say.  
"And…you can see what you've missed." She says while poking my chest.  
"Sure, you go back to school for the first time in weeks and the only thing I get, is not a warm welcome, but gossip and probably death threats from Darius' friends." I say.  
"Don't worry Peeta, when some of Darius' friends came back to school after their suspension. The principal talked to them and to stay away from you. Darius isn't back from his suspension yet, I think his suspension was 5 weeks. I told you didn't I? At the school hospital." She says with her eyebrows furrowed.  
"Yes, I do remember. You were singing, well humming as well. I can't quiet remember."  
"But you just said you do remember." She says with a slight laugh.  
"Well…I remember what you said about Darius, just not the way you were singing." I say and then I twirl Katniss which makes her giggle that girly kind of giggle again.  
I'm about to open my mouth to say something else when Dad starts honking the car. He put his head out of the window and yells, "Come on Peeta! We have to go, you'll see her soon anyway!"  
"Alright! Alright! I'm coming!" I yell back at him.  
I turn my head back to meet Katniss' grey eyes.  
"Looks like I have to go. My old man's waiting." I tell her.  
She bites her lip which I find absolutely adorable then turns her head to look at my Dad waiting inside his car.  
"Make sure you come to school tomorrow and pick me up." She says in a stern voice.  
"Yes ma'am," I say, and then start unwrapping my arms that are around her.  
"I'll see you soon then." She says and then she turns around to open the door and to get inside their house. I quickly grab onto her hand, "Wait."  
Katniss quickly turns around somewhat alarmed. "What's wrong?"  
"You know that I'm not going until I get my kiss." I answer her question.  
She smacks her forehead and says in a kind of sarcastic voice, "Oh right…a kiss. How could I forget, I'm a horrible girlfriend. Come here."  
I put my arms around Katniss again then lean and give her a kiss. I feel her smile and I start moving my lips against hers.  
Katniss breaks our kiss when she needed to breathe. "Hopefully you won't forget that you're mine." I say.  
"You remind me that every day." She says.  
"So, I make you feel loved?" I ask her.  
"And beautiful and happy." She adds.  
We hear Dad honks the car again and I let out a slight laugh.  
"Are you ever going to go?" Katniss asks.  
"No, you have to make me." I say in response.  
Dad honks again and I grunt.  
"Just wait Dad!"  
"I'll see you tomorrow then…" I say.  
"Just go Peeta. Your Dad is getting a little impatient." She says.  
"Oh fine." I give Katniss one more kiss then let go off her. I make my way down to our car where my Dad is waiting.  
"See you tomorrow babe!" I yell with a laugh.  
I catch her roll her eyes then make her way into the house. I look to my Dad and he's giving me a 'really?' kind of look.  
"Really?" He says. Oh, what a coincidence.  
"What?"  
"Babe?" He says.  
"It was a joke, I was playing with her," I say in a somewhat matter of fact tone.  
"Yeah yeah…" he says then starts the car. We get out of the driveway then we start driving.  
"Looks like a lot has happened in the past few weeks." He says.  
I look at him confusingly, "What do you mean?"  
"You and Katniss. Why didn't I know about that?" He says.  
"Well, you don't visit that much and I've got a lot on my mind right now." I say.  
"Uh huh…" He says.  
"Dad…when- have-. Have you ever said I love you to a girl?"  
Dad looks at me smiles in a kind of silly way, "A lot of times, I used to keep saying it to your mother when we were dating. Now…well, things changed. But don't get me wrong, I still love your mother. Why else would we have you?" He says.  
"Well, what about other girls, have they ever said I love you back?"  
He shrugs, "I've only ever said I love you to Katniss' mother. But that was when I said it, I was too late. Someone already stole her heart. He was a good guy, Katniss' father, I mean. Really good guy, man I wish he was here right now." He says, he got a little distracted from the talking we've had and missed a turn the lead to our street.

By the time we got home my mothers and my mum were all waiting for Dad and I to arrive. Mum wasn't too impressed with me, I could tell, but she just kept reminding me of how a 'stupid boy' I am and how I don't learn any manners or respect seeing as I had a fight with my school mate. She didn't hit me or anything and that wasn't the meanest thing that has come out of her mouth. She's just trying to be nice seeing as I just came back. Chris, Sam and Dad might've spoken to her.  
After that, I get all of my things to my room and just lay there thinking about Katniss and how I miss her already. I wonder what I would be doing if I was still at their house. I shake the thought off and go downstairs to see if I can eat anything. I drag myself to the living room to watch with Sam.

* * *

"Hello there anybody home!" I yell softly.  
I wait there for a few more seconds until I hear the knob unlocking and welcomed with Prim's smiling face. She opens the door immediately and come out to give me a hug.  
"What's going on in there?" I hear Katniss yell from God knows where and then I hear her footsteps making their way to the front door.  
"Peeta!" She says in excitement then runs up to give me a hug as soon as Prim lets go.  
"Wow, you guys miss me already?" I say and give Katniss a squeeze."  
"Oh! Hi Peeta, you kids ready to go to school?" Mrs Everdeen says when she reaches us.  
"Do you wanna walk or ride with mum?" Katniss asks me.  
"I kinda miss walking, with you especially." I say.  
"Awww…" Prim and Mrs Everdeen says in unison. Again, that shocks me, what is going on with Katniss' mother. Maybe seeing her daughter happy and smiling rather than worrying about what's going to happen in the future and finding a living for the 3 of them when she has another depression episode.  
"Alright then. Let me just get my bag Prim, and then we can go. See you two in the afternoon." Mrs Everdeen says then heads inside to get her bag.  
Katniss and I say our goodbye to Prim then start making our way to school. After a few hundred metres, I realise that Katniss seems a little tired, seeing as she keeps on yawning.  
"What's wrong? You're walking funny and you keep yawning."  
"Huh? What?" She says then blinks a few times.  
"You look really tired." I repeat.  
"I do, I mean I am. I didn't get any sleep last night. I was doing all my homework and I was just so stressed out." She says.  
"I couldn't sleep too; I just missed you too much." I say.  
"Aw, I'm not going to lie. I was thinking about you too." She says and I smile. She yawns again and her eyes start dropping down until there halfway then she blinks again.  
"Alright, come here." I say and then she looks at me confused.  
I put one of my hands around her back and then one under her knees the pick her up.  
"Peeta!" She gasps.  
"Don't argue , if you need to rest do it now. We have about 15 more minutes till we arrive." I say.  
"But, I'm too heavy."  
"Are you kidding me? Light as a feather." I say and then I bounce her just to prove it.  
"Go on, take a few minutes nap." I say, "Go on."  
She smiles at me adoringly and I smile back. She places her head on my shoulder and wraps her hand around my neck.  
"You're too sweet Peeta." She says then gives my cheek a kiss before snuggling into my neck. Her breath tickles my neck as I walk but I don't mind. Katniss falls asleep in just a minute and I realise just how tired she is.  
Carrying Katniss isn't really hard, I've carried her once before. 5 months ago (I think), we were walking around Central Park, well running, we were chasing each other. Katniss tripped on something and sprained her knee, as well as her ankle. I carried her home that day too, well, we took the bus home but I carried her to their house. It felt just like yesterday that happened.

When we arrive at school, I get a few people staring me as I carry Katniss down the hall way. I have a few people staring daggers at me too, others are staring at me in a somewhat confused way, some people recognise me and decide to give me a wave and a couple of girls even give me some a look of admiration. What was that about? I get beat up by the Darius and they suddenly like me. Ah, that's High School for you. I start to make my way down to our first class, well its Friday, which means we have Science first. As I make my way down the hallway to Science room I hear a few people running at me from behind. I turn around quickly but carefully so that I won't wake Katniss. I see their big smiles as they reach me.  
Delly, Cato, Madge and Gale are all grinning at me like idiots.  
"Hey Peeta! How have you been?!" Delly yells, she probably did it in purpose to wake Katniss up.  
"Shhhh! Katniss is sleeping." I say in a loud whisper.  
"You think we can't see that!" Madge yells next.  
I hear Katniss let out a moan then tightens her grip around me and smuggles closer to my neck.  
"Aww! You took look so cute together!" Gale yells.  
"Guys! Seriously!" I say in a loud whisper.  
"We've missed you too Peeta! We've been great actually! School has been pretty boring without you, it has actually! Especially basketball! No one can shoot hoops like you!" Cato's yells next.  
"Guys! Please!" I continue in a whisper.  
"He just answered the questions you _silently asked_." Delly says and when she said 'silently asked' she did some bunny ears for effect.  
"Look, I'm sorry guys I haven't really asked how you've been but as you can see…" I say while pointing out Katniss.  
"Just wake her already!" Cato yells loudly which kind of startles Katniss and she slowly blinks her eyes and then wake up.  
"What's wrong?" She asks then yawns.  
"Hey there sleepy head. You're late for Science class." Delly tells Katniss.  
Katniss stops rubbing at her eyes immediately and says, "What! You're kidding me!" She says then realises than I'm still carrying her.  
"She was just joking Katniss." Madge says.  
"Actually, I was trying to wake her up, really wake her up." Delly says and we share a little laugh.  
"Yeah, we all know how Katniss feels about missing classes or going late." Cato says.  
I slowly and gently put Katniss down and we say our goodbyes and see you later to Cat, Delly, Madge and Gale then make our way to Science.

The rest of the day leading to Basketball practice was pretty weird. A lot of the teachers give me a nice sweet welcome back. Some students look kind of afraid of me. Some girls go around giving me winks and waves. All I have to do is take Katniss' hand or give her a quick kiss to brush the girls off. I spend the rest of the day with Katniss basically. I struggle on some of the work at school and I have a lot to catch up on. By the end of the day I'm changing to my basketball jersey that I didn't get until now. I make my way out of the locker room and into the gym.  
"Come on Mellark!" Coach O'Dair yells and I jog my way into the middle of the basketball court. I see Katniss at the stands waiting patiently for our Basketball practice to finish.

* * *

"So what do you want to do tonight?" I ask and take Katniss' hand so that we can start walking home.  
"I don't know…" She says.  
"Come over my house."  
"What? But Peeta your…mum?"  
I shrug, "So? I'll protect you." I say.  
She stops walking then turns to face me."I- I don't know Peeta. She's a scary woman."  
"You don't have to worry about a thing." I say then tuck a loose strand of hair into her ear.  
"But you'll stay with me the whole time?" She asks.  
"…Always…" I say.

* * *

Ohhhh! I wonder what's going to happen back at Peeta's house.  
Let wait and find out.  
Hopefully you guys enjoyed that and I'll try to upload by really quickly and write these chapters the best that I can at the same time.  
Thank you guys for reading.  
Please leave your reviews, comments and remember, if you have any recommendations just comment or message me.  
Thank you guys!

-RestelessIdeas


	16. In The Bakery

Hello again guys,  
This chapter is actually a very special chapter. I think you guys will like the ending.  
I just want to thank you all guys for you comments and everything. You are all so nice and lovely I wish I could thank you personally.  
Please enjoy this chapter guys and tell me what you think,  
Disclaimer: I **do not** own The Hunger Games

* * *

"Do you want to go somewhere before we go over our house?" I ask Katniss.  
"If you want to, we could check out what's new in the city." Katniss says.  
Katniss and I take a different turn and catch the nearest bus stop to the city. Katniss and I sit at the bus stop waiting for the bus to come. We wait patiently then the next thing I know I see some girls from school on the other side of the street. They might be heading home too, they happen to see Katniss and I sitting at the bus stop then they start whispering. After that they give me a wave then give Katniss a dirty look. I know exactly what they're doing, I have a fight with one of the most popular kid in school and all of sudden girls dig me. I mean, school was a little different, I got lots of hellos from people I don't even know and a lot of people try to sit near me in classes and at lunch. But some girls…they just stare daggers at Katniss. I know that something is going on. Cato told me when he visited me in Katniss' house that people already know that Katniss and I are a couple. Sometimes when Katniss comes home she looks sad or either teary. I ask her about school and she says she's fine, but when she smiles I could feel that something is going on that she's not telling me. Some girls at school might be teasing Katniss while I was gone, this whole giving her dirty looks have been happening ever since they found out that we were a couple.  
I look over at Katniss when I hear her sigh and she looks down at her lap. I move closer to her and grab onto her hand, she inches away as soon as I touch her.  
"Katniss?" She looks at me with a pained expression.  
I inch closer one more time and wrap my arms around her, "Ignore them. I'm not going to let them hurt you." I say.  
"I'll be fine Peeta. Don't worry."  
"I know Katniss. I know that you can do it all by yourself. But have me now. You always will, if there's anything wrong just tell me ok."  
Katniss looks at me and smiles; she gives me a kiss then says, "Okay."

* * *

Katniss and I decide that we should just go and eat at my uncle's bakery. When we get there, I see that he's changed the name of the bakery. It's now called Bobby Ray's, but in small print on the right hand corner I can see Mellark Co. Looks like uncle Bobby still want to keep the last name in. 'Bobby Ray's' is written in green with a white background. The painting of the bakery looks new too, it's been coloured a lighter shade of green. I look over at Katniss and I can see her smile at the green colour.  
"Nice green colour, don't you reckon?" I ask her.  
She nods, still mesmerised by the colour. I take hold of her hand and give it a little tug, "Come on. Don't you want to look inside?"  
Katniss nods and slowly follows me inside. When I open the door I hear the familiar ringing of that bell to say that there is a costumer.  
"Hello, good afternoon-, hey! Peeta! How are you? It's been a while?" I see Uncle Bobby dressed in his green uniform with a blue apron and he's behind the counter, but no he's making his way to Katniss and I.  
"I've been amazing uncle Bobby. What about you? Looks like you renovated the place." I say then give him a hug.  
"Yeah, I changed the name and all. But, of course, I told your Dad about that." Hey says, he then realises that there's someone next to me. I don't think he remembers Katniss but when Katniss gives him a little wave a look of realisation crosses his face. "Katniss! How are you? Is that little duck with, Prim?"  
"No. Sadly, if she was I think she would really like to see that Strawberry cake and the way it was frosted." She says pointing to a certain cake on the display cabinet.  
Uncle Bobby lets out a laugh, "I'm sure she would."  
"Come in here. There take a seat and you can order whatever you want from the menu, it's on the house."  
Katniss and I find a seat and we sit next to each other by the window.  
"I haven't been here in such a long time, it's really changed." Katniss says.  
"I know, I kinda miss working here, I prefer working here than at home with my mum."  
"This is a really nice bakery, did I hear your uncle say menus?"  
"Oh yeah, we have to order. Uncle Bobby sure has improved the bakery. Better lights, seats, tables and you have waitresses so that you can order and look at a menu."  
Katniss smiles and then I see her avert her eyes on something in front of her. I turn my head and I can see the all too familiar brown door that leads to the closet.  
Happy memories flash by and I find myself smiling.  
"Remember 2 years ago, it was your birthday and I took here because I made you some cheese buns and so that we could share them while we walked around the park." I tell Katniss.  
"Yeah I do and then as soon as you saw your mother coming in you pushed me inside that closet." She says and then points to it.  
"Yeah…and then my mum told me that I couldn't get out of the bakery so when she was talking with Dad in the kitchen, I took those cheese buns and we I shoved myself in the closet and we ate them there instead. Good thing my mother didn't look for me afterwards."  
"Those cheese buns were good…do they have that on the menu." Katniss says.  
"Wait, you like _my_ cheese buns. If you order form there it won't be me that baked it." I say.  
She shrugs, "I just want some cheese buns."  
"I have an idea." I say.  
"Come on, let's go and make some cheese buns." I continue.  
"What? Are you serious?"  
"Yeah. Come one this is family business. Who knows, I might own this shop when I'm grown up."  
I put my hand out to Katniss, she smiles and takes it. I lead her down to the kitchen and we're greeted with a few familiar faces.  
"I thought you two would be ordering. What brings you to the back of the kitchen?" Uncle Bobby says.  
"Um, I was kinda thinking of making some cheese buns." I tell him.  
"Oh, yeah. You know where to get the ingredients and stuff. Well, you know what do basically." Uncle Bobby says then walks away to get back to making orders.  
"Alright let's get our ingredients." I lead Katniss to different cupboards full of flour, dough, all of the things you need for baking. When we've collected out ingredients we find a free space at the back of the room.  
"Okay let's start with the flour, Katniss could you pass me the eggs."  
She passes me the eggs, I grab a bowl, Katniss pours some flour in and I start cracking the eggs.  
"I found some aprons; we should put them on so that we don't get all dirty." Katniss puts an apron over her head; she then put one over my head. She out her arms around my waist to tie a knot that tightens the apron around me and I do the same thing on her but I had some trouble because my hand had some egg yolk and slimy stuff in them. I tell Katniss to add the ingredients that we need for the cheese buns in the bowl. When we've got that all sorted out we're ready to mix it all.  
"Okay Katniss, let's make this thing into a dough. Just put your hand in and we'll mix it together." I say.  
"Alright, it smells nice already." She says.  
Katniss and I get our hand in the bowl and start moving our hands around, mixing it, and getting them together, just anything to mix it properly.  
"I think…that…we did a pretty good job." I look at the bowl and see that our mixing was perfect. I tell Katniss to take her hand out of the bowl and there's still some bits sticking onto her hand, I take mine out and see that my hand is pretty grimy as well. I start licking my fingers and Katniss puts on a kind of irritated face.  
"You are going to wash your hand before shaping that dough aren't you?" Katniss says.  
"Nah…" I say with a smile and lick my hand more, it actually tastes really good.  
"You should try it, lick your hand. Go on do it."  
"For your information, I was thinking of doing that." Katniss start licking her fingers and closes her eyes because it's too delicious. After a few more licks, I realise that my hand is clear off all the dough. I look up at Katniss and see that she's still licking. I move closer to her and take her hand.  
"Hey! I was licking that!"  
"You know, for a girl, you don't find licking your finger disgusting." I say.  
"I do, but it's just too delicious to ignore." She says.  
"Mind sharing some?" I say.  
"You're kidding me right? No." Katniss says then pokes her tongue out at me.  
I give her an evil smile then I lean my head in and lick her cheek.  
I hear her let out a sharp gasp and I chuckle.  
"Peeta! Yuck!" She then tries to wipe it off by rubbing her hand on her cheek, she then realises that her hand still has some dough in it and now she has dough on her cheek.  
I give her, again, another evil smile.  
"No. Peeta please don't." Katniss starts backing away and I start moving forward.  
"Oh yes." I say.  
"No! Peeta don't!" She starts running and I start chasing after her. We run around the kitchen trying not to bump into anything or anyone. Everyone around the kitchen seems to be laughing while watching us chase each other down. They don't seem annoyed. I even hear Rick, our cake maker, say; "They never change do they? Even at the age of sixteen their acting like they're five." He gets back to frosting the cake after that.  
When Katniss turns a corner Adam, anther cake foster, stops Katniss then turns her around so that she faces the wall.  
"Come on Peeta! I've got her now!" Adam yells.  
"No, Adam let me go now." Katniss pleads. I run too Katniss, she keep wriggling around then she manages to free herself but I catch up to her just in time. I pin her to the wall then say, "Hey there, I can't believe you made me run around the kitchen."  
Katniss starts wriggling her hand so that she can set herself free, I grab onto them and then I give her my evil smile again.  
"I'm going to get you after this." She says.  
She closes her eyes then I hear her take a deep breath in, I lean in then start licking the dough of her cheek.  
The men around the kitchen burst out laughing and a few ladies start saying "Ew!" or "Yuck!"  
"Ahhhh! Peeta! I hate you!" Katniss shouts and it startles me, she starts stomping her feet as well.  
I lean back and start laughing at her.  
"I love you too Katniss." I say then give her a kiss.  
When I lean back, she says; "Let's just bake those cheese buns."  
Uncle Bobby makes his way too us laughing, "Here are some tissues Katniss." He hands some tissue to Katniss, she says a thank you and she wipes her cheek quickly.  
"Let's go and make those cheese buns." She says then grabs my hand and leads me to the back of the room.  
We start shaping the dough to buns and Katniss adds the important part of the recipe, cheese. When we've got all of that sorted out, we put it in the oven and wait patiently. Katniss sits herself on a counter on the other side of the room while we wait. I check the buns that are on the oven and turn around to look at Katniss. I look at her turning her head to look around the room. I smile at her again because look cute. I make my way over to Katniss and when she sees me getting nearer she scowls. She hasn't forgiven me for licking her face yet. I make my way all the way to her and look up. The counter is actually lower down the wall than usual because Katniss is just levelled with me while she sits on the counter.  
"Alright, I'm sorry okay. You know how delicious that dough was" I say.  
She smiles at me and wraps her arms around my neck.  
"I forgive you; just don't lick my cheek like that ever again." She says.  
"Oh, but you're cheek was really delicious."  
Katniss rolls her eyes and backs away, "Hey!" I grab onto her waist immediately, "That doesn't mean that you have to move away." I continue.  
She chuckles then moves closer, "Well don't lick my cheek again." She taps my nose.  
I lean in and kiss Katniss, and again, as soon as I touch her lips I feel those things in my stomach again, I don't want to get these kinds of feelings. It just reminds me of my crush on Katniss and falling for her. It reminds me of how she's scared to fall in love and…all those stuff…  
I stop kissing Katniss and step away.  
"What's wrong?" Katniss asks me in concern.  
"Uhh…" I shake my head and continue, "No-nothing." I turn around and make my way to the oven.  
"The buns still need more time…" I say awkwardly.  
I hear her drop down on the floor and make her way to me.  
"Peeta?" She puts her hand on my shoulder and make me turn to face her.  
"It's nothing Katniss, I just need some air okay. Go back and sit at the counter." I tell her, I realise that I sounded quiet harsh but I brush it off.  
"About what? Peeta you know you can tell me anything."  
"15 more minutes and buns might be ready…" I say flatly, I set the oven for 15 minutes just to be sure.  
I hear Katniss sigh and I hear her walk away. I turn around and see the back of her and she's making her way back to the counter.  
For the rest of the 15 minutes I wait by the oven with my head hanging low. I hear Katniss fiddling with the kitchen utensils.  
Ding! The oven makes that familiar sound which means that the bread has finished baking. I look at the bread and it looks pretty good. I open the door of the open and I'm hit with the sweet smell of cheese and bread. It smells delicious.  
"There we go the cheese buns have finished." I say, I take the tray out and put each bread on the drying rack.  
"We just have to wait a few more minutes for it to dry." I look over at Katniss sitting at the counter and she's playing with her bread.  
I've seen this before, when Katniss was eleven years old. After her Dad's funeral she sat outside their house, down at the step that leads to the porch. She sat there while I watched her, she was saying nothing, her shoulders were down in defeat, she was playing with the tail of her braid and she was…crying. I walk to Katniss quickly and I see her shoulders shuddering and I can hear her sobs. I quickly wrap my arms around Katniss and she wraps her arms around me burying her face in my neck.  
Because we're in the back of the kitchen and everyone's so busy baking and making orders, they don't realise that something's wrong at the back of the kitchen.  
"Katniss?"  
"Peeta…please just tell me what's wrong." Her voice was muffled because her face is still burrowed at my neck but I understood every word.  
"Nothing's wrong Katniss, I just thought of something." I say and start running my hand up and down Katniss' back.  
"Peeta, its hurting you. I can tell." She lets out another sob and I give her some soothing sounds.  
"Don't worry about it Katniss, let's just eat your favourite cheese buns." I say.

After I manage to calm Katniss down we sit on the counter together and eat the cheese buns.  
"I want to come here more often." She says in the middle of eating.  
"If that's what you want, then we'll come here more often." I say and give her a smile.  
I jump down form the counter to put my apron away; I turn around and stare at Katniss while she eats her cheese bun. I smile to myself, she looks so happy eating that cheese bun. I walk up to her again and tuck a strand of her hair into her hair.  
"I love you," I say shakily and lean in to give Katniss a kiss. I feel Katniss move her hand up to my cheek and I tilt my head to the side to gain more access.  
Katniss leans back and her next choice of words shock me.  
"I love you too…"  
"What? Are you serious?" I say in shock.  
"I love you!" She says louder and with a smile.  
I tighten my arms around Katniss and lift her up and I go around in circles. Katniss tightens her arms around my neck and lets out a shout of excitement.  
"Hey! Shut up back there I'm trying to read the recipe." Jason yells from the front of the kitchen.  
"Sorry Jason!" I yell back.  
I put Katniss down, "I'm dreaming aren't I?" I say.  
"No, this is real. I love you, for real." She said it again, those three words.  
"You said it again…" I say and I smile even wider.  
"I love you…" She says again, "I know I've said it before, but this time it's different." She says.  
"I can tell…" I say with a laugh.  
I lift her up again and spin her again and set her down.  
"I'm so lucky I'm in love with you. I just- I don't- I have no idea what to say." I  
mumble at Katniss.  
"You don't have to. Just kiss me."  
I do as she says.

* * *

Hopefully you guys like this chapter. I tried to make it as romantic and special as I can. But I guess I failed, but its up to you guys. Please tell me what you think by commenting and remember; if you have a recommendation just comment or message me.  
The next chapter will be about Katniss and Peeta's time in Peeta's house.  
Thank you guys for reading and please stay tuned.

-RestlessIdeas


	17. Family Trouble

I'm sorry guys that I had to make you wait a couple of days. When I nearly finished this chapter my laptop wasn't actually plugged in and when it's battery got low it just died on me and I had to rewrite half of the story again. I'm really sorry.  
Hopefully you enjoy this chapter though and thank you guys for all those wonderful reviews. Please enjoy this.  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games

* * *

Katniss and I arrive at our house smiling from ear to ear.  
When I open the door to let her in, she's greeted with a hug from Sam, who was just about to leave. Chris and Dad are at work and Sam is just leaving. I have no idea where mum is but I try not to let the thought of her ruin how happy I am.  
"Let's go at the backyard. That's where I do my painting now." I tell Katniss.  
"You do it outside?"  
"Yeah, but I keep my things on the shed and when I wanted to paint I would take it out and I would either paint under the sun or the stars. We could paint something at night, you know…we could paint the stars if you want." I say.  
"I'd love that." She says.  
I get closer to Katniss again, "Uhh, everytime you say love I just lose it all over again." I say and sabotage her face with kisses and give her lips thousands of pecks.  
Suddenly I hear a sudden thud from my left and stop kissing Katniss immediately.  
I look over at my side and see my mother with an angry expression looking at the both of us. I can see the basket of clothes dropped down on the floor.  
We stand there staring at each other; I decide to make a move. I take Katniss' hand and say, "Come on, I'll show you around."  
I lead her pass my mother and she keeps her eyes on eyes. Katniss says a quiet good morning and my mother scoffs. We walk up to the back door and out in the backyard. I look at the beautiful green grass, the alfresco and the small blue shed where I keep my painting things in.  
"Come on, you haven't been here in a long time. I might as well show you what I've painted." I make my way to the shed and she follows quietly.  
I open the blue slide door and I can smell the different odours of paint straight away. I look at the easels and paintbrushes scattered in different parts of the shed. The tubs of paint are all in the table that I put in the corner. I feel Katniss let go off my hand and hear her wander around the room.  
"When was the last time you came in here?"  
"2 months ago actually, wow, I've never realised." I say.  
"That's why it looks kind of dead." She says.  
"Yeah I agree…" I walk around the space in the little shed looking at the paintings that I've made.  
I look at the different sunset painting that I've made, the abstract one, I look at the paintings that I did about Katniss. I wonder if that brown box of my sketches of her is still here, I completely forgot about that. I remember when I was still crushing on Katniss and I get those funny feelings. I would spend time sketching her, whether its ones that I've sketches at school with her beside me or ones that I've done at home. All I know is that it's here somewhere, the simple and dull looking brown box that has those beautiful sketches of Katniss in them.  
"Peeta…" Katniss' soft questioning voice catches my attention and I turn around only to see her staring at the brown box with the lid wide open.  
_So that's where it went…_  
"Uhh, yeah those…" I put one of my hands in my pocket and rub the back of my head awkwardly with the other. Katniss rummages through the box and I stay glued to my position, clearly embarrassed.  
"Peeta…did you do all these?"  
"Uhhhh, yeah…you could say that."  
I look at her look at more of the drawings and slowly I walk up to her and stand behind her overlooking at the pictures over her shoulder.  
"Why did you never show me these, I mean, you've showed me some but never…these ones."  
"Does that mean you like them?" I ask softly.  
She turns around, "Peeta, I love them. But, why me? You could've painted much more beautiful things and I find a box with sketches of me in it. Why?"  
"Because…to me, you are the most beautiful thing in the world. To me, you are perfect." I say confidently. I stare at Katniss' adoring grey eyes. Katniss stays a little quiet and I feel a little embarrassed because it's just too quiet.  
"Well say something…"  
Katniss shakes her head, "I'm not good at saying something."  
"Then come here…" I wrap my arms around Katniss and rock her softly; I lean back and give her a tender kiss.  
"I wish I could draw so that you can see how handsome you are." Katniss says when we break our kiss.

* * *

Katniss and I spend the rest of our time looking back at my old paintings and such. We even spend some time painting. I realise that my mother isn't bothering us or anything, which is good. At least she's trying to be nice. But while we paint I feel like her cold eyes are looking at us, watching our every move.  
"There. I got the last bit of the blue in." Katniss says.  
I move closer to her and look at her painting. Katniss decided to paint the little blue shed and she's done a great job at it. It doesn't look exactly like the shed but I like it.  
"I love it, it shaped like the shed and you got the blue colour perfectly."  
"Thank you. What did you do?"  
"Uhhh, just…you." I say.  
"Me, again." She says, "Let me see it."  
I turn the easel over so that she can see what I drew. "I didn't paint yet, I just wanted to get the drawing perfect."  
"What, where was this?" She asks but keeping her eyes on the drawing.  
"Oh," I look at the painting, its Katniss when she was 5 years old. It was when her Dad and My Dad took us out in Central Park. Well, Katniss' Dad and my Dad just wanted to have some time together, but decided to take us with them. I also remember that that was the say that Katniss and I first played the game chasey on each other. I remember how we were so tired form running around and she I went to get us water from our Dad's and she waited for me near a bush with beautiful yellow and pink flowers. I remember how I stood there looking at her picking one of those flowers, how she smiled and how she placed a pink flower into her ear. I remember how I thought of her as a cute and beautiful girl even at the age of 5.  
"Um, I could never forget how cute you looked with that flower in your hair." I use that as an answer to her question.  
"Peeta, this was 11 years ago."  
"I know…and we're both grown up now." I say.  
"How do you still remember?" She says and it hits me, _how do I remember?  
_"I- I remember everything about you." I say and as I say it I realise that it actually is the truth.  
"I wish I wasn't so blind so that I would remember everything about you." She says and leans in to give me a kiss.  
"Hey! You guys wanna eat dinner or not!" When I hear Sam yell I get quiet startled, I look at my watch and its 5:30. I haven't even realised that Sam is home, Chris might have arrived already and Dad comes home later on.  
"Yeah! We'll be right there!" I yell back.  
"Come on, let's go." I tell Katniss.  
I lead Katniss inside the house into the dining room and we find Chris, Sam and Mum sitting quietly waiting for us.  
"Maybe I should go now, mum is probably getting worried." Katniss whispers into my ear and I look at her with a pleading look for her to stay. I turn my head to look at my mother and I could see the big frown she has on her face.  
"No, come on…" I say and force her to take a seat. I sit next to her and we all share smiles along the table except for my mother who seem to keep giving Katniss death looks and it makes me angrier.  
"Katniss, do you want to say grace?" Sam asks.  
"Sure…" She says.  
"You're going to make this filthy girl say grace." Mum spits.  
"Mum! Stop!" I yell at her.  
She stands up angrily and snaps, "How dare you use that tone of voice on me!"  
"Mum, please sit down!" Chris says just as loud.  
"You! Get out!" She yells at Christ.  
"Mum stop it!" I bellow.  
She looks at me angrily and stomps her way to me.  
"How dare you! How! Dare! You!" She shrieks then slaps me across the face.  
Everyone at the table stand and I hear Katniss say quickly, "I'll go!...Please Mrs Everdeen…I'll go, just don't hurt him."  
I turn around and softly say, "Katniss no, you don't have to go."  
"Get out!" My mum shouts at her and she starts to move away. Before I can take another step mu grabs onto my arm with a death grip and when she's out of the living room I start wriggling my way out of my mother's grasp.  
"Let go of me!" I yell.  
"See! I knew that girl would brainwash you!" She smacks the back of my head, "Now you're just following her around like a lost puppy!" She spits out.  
"I love her!" I shout and saying this made her loosen her grip somehow. It might be what I said or the way I said it. I haven't spoken to her in that tone of voice before and it might have scared her a little bit. I make my way out of the dining room and run after Katniss. I head out the front door and into the front yard, I go to the sidewalk and I see Katniss walking away, head down and shivering. It is quite cold outside and she has no jacket on, just a green shirt.  
"Katniss!"  
She stops walking and turns around. I run to her immediately, when I reach her I don't hesitate to wrap my arms around her and she starts sobbing.  
"Shhh…It's okay Katniss." I say and start rubbing her back.  
She wraps her arms around my neck and she lets out a whimper.  
"I'm so sorry that she had to ruin everything. She's just mean." I say softly.  
"Sh- she- she's y- yo- your mo-mot- mothe- mother P-Peeta, d-don't s- sa- say th- tha- that." She mumbles and it breaks my heart to listen to her like this. I close my eyes tightly because it makes me want cry to hear her like that.  
"She just hurt you Katniss. That's enough for me to ignore her for the rest of my life." I say and I kiss her temple. I feel her tremble and shake.  
"Here." I say and offer her my jacket. I take it off me and put it around Katniss and I continue saying, "I'll walk you home." I out my arm around her and we start walking.

After a few minutes Katniss' sobbing has died down. It makes me feel happy because everytime I hear her sniffle or let out a little sob I just feel so guilty and it makes me feel so upset.  
I look over to my right and I see the sunset. It looks beautiful as always. Sunsets always fascinate me, whether it's the way they reflect on the water or the colours they bring out and how they make the sky look so…magical.  
"It looks beautiful, doesn't it?" I hear Katniss say softly.  
"It always does, but it doesn't look as beautiful as you do" I say and kiss the top of her head.  
"Hey, do you still remember whe-"  
"When you wanted to paint the sunset and you spent about three days trying to find the right colour for it. You kept ignoring and I have never felt so lonely in my life. Yes, I do remember." Katniss interrupts. "It only happened 4 months ago." She continues.  
"How did I make you feel lonely?"  
"You kept ignoring me for three days, it was the most loneliest three days of my life. At school you would barely talk to me, you just kept going on about the colour of the sunset." She says.  
"I'm sorry, I promise you that I will never do it again."

When Katniss and I reach their house, Prim and Mrs Everdeen have set the table ready for them to eat. They invite but I start declining, it's only a matter of time when Prim starts begging and even cries that I just cannot say no. Katniss even pointed out that she found it quiet silly that a twelve year old girl would cry over someone staying to eat. She just finds it silly and Prim replies by saying, "Well at least it made him stay, you know how Peeta feels around people who cries. It's like his weakness, he just can't say no to them."  
"That's because Peeta is a kind man and her cares a lot about other people's feelings." Mrs Everdeen puts in.  
Eating dinner with the three girls make things so much easier. They make me so happy and I enjoy every single minute with them. At home, we usually stay quiet while we eat because when we try to have a nice and happy conversation, mum is always telling us to just be quiet and eat out food. She even said that hearing us talk just gives her a headache. When I'm with the Everdeen girls we can actually talk about anything and laugh about anything.  
After we've finished eating Katniss and I volunteer to wash the dishes. Then I tell the girls that I must go home before my family starts getting worried. Katniss decides to walk me out and we make it to the driveway before we say our goodbyes.  
"So…tomorrow?" I say.  
"Tomorrow." Katniss replies with a smile.  
"Goodbye kiss?" I say with a playful grin.  
"Come here." She says and open her arms to welcome me in.  
I gather Katniss up in my arms and bury my head in her hair.  
"I miss you already and I haven't even left yet." I say and Katniss chuckles.  
We lean back and I lean in to give Katniss a full hearted kiss.  
Instantly our kiss turns passionate and in no time at all, it turns even deeper. When I find the opportunity to do so, I let my tongue into Katniss' mouth and she doesn't decline. Katniss and I lose ourselves and she starts running her hand through my hair. We break our kiss when we need to come up for air.  
I look at Katniss and find myself chuckling.  
"Sorry, lost myself for a second there." I say and Katniss giggles.  
"See you tomorrow Peeta…I love you."  
I lean in to give Katniss a peck and say, "I love you too."  
I loosen my grip from Katniss and move back a little bit, "So, I'll go…now." I say while pointing behind me. Katniss smiles then bites her lip to stop her from laughing, probably.  
I turn around and slowly start walking away.  
"You be careful going home alright!" She yells at me.  
I turn my head, "Of course my love!" I say playfully.  
I walk the rest of the way to the house happy and satisfied. All of my happiness goes downfall when I hear the screen door slam shut and I look up to see Christ walking down the porch to his car.  
I chase after him quickly, "Chris, what are you doing? Where are you going?" I ask him in a panicked voice.  
"I cannot talk her craziness anymore. No matter how hard I try, she's just so, evil." He says angrily.  
"Chris that is our mother."  
"I know! Peeta, I know, as much as I love her she need to learn some manners and even some respect!" He spits out.  
He turns around and starts opening the door. I grab onto his arms urgently.  
"Where are you going?"  
"Anywhere but here. Just away from her." He says angrily.  
"Chris, please. You don't have to go, Dad will be home soon. Just please don't leave." I plead.  
"I'll be staying the night at Jackie's house." He says and he gets in his car.  
"Chris! No Chris stop!" His car starts to back away and I follow.  
"Please Chris! Don't!" He reverses out into the road and starts accelerating away.  
"Chris! Please come back!...Chris…" I don't want Chris to leave, I don't want anyone leaving. It just makes matters worse, I feel as if our family is just falling apart everytime we have fights like these. I just don't want one of us leaving and never coming back; to leave and try to forget that you have a family somewhere and you don't want to come back because your mother is like a witch. I just want all of us to be a happy family and for mum to stop treating us like her own personal slave. I turn around sadly and make my way to the front door. I open it with shaking hands, I expect to be welcomed with my mother screaming at me but I found nothing but silence. Where are Sam and mum?  
I close and lock the door and decide to make my way to my bedroom, when I hear shuffling feet in both Sam and mum's bedroom I go to my own and lay down in exhaustion. Today has been a long day. I try to think on why my mother hates Katniss so much. Is it because Dad used to date her mother? Is it because she's jealous of her mother or Katniss? If she is, why? What is she jealous of? I let myself drift off and try not to think about it too much.

I wake up to the sound of my family yelling, shouting and fighting with one another. I can't understand a word their saying, I hastily make my way out of my room and down the stairs to where they're arguing. When they see me standing at the archway they stop and give me a sad look.  
"Peeta, son, go and busy yourself somewhere else." Dad tells me.  
"Is everything okay?" I say.  
"Peeta, go and eat breakfast or something. We'll take care of this one." Sam says quietly.  
"But we're a family. We need to figure this one out together." I argue.  
"Go Peeta, go and hang out with Katniss. Just go somewhere else." Sam continues.  
I look at mum and see that she's not looking at anyone; she has her back on everyone and is looking at window. I nod and make my way upstairs to my room. I get out a dark grey tank top and some black jeans and put them on. I make my way to the bathroom; brush my teeth and leave my hair as it is. I'm quite surprised that when I make it downstairs and look at the living room and when I look I see everyone having a quiet discussion and sitting down on the couch.  
I stop and look at them and they look back at me.  
"Have a nice day Peet." Sam says with a smile.  
"You too." I say quietly and slowly make my way to the front.  
I don't go far until I hear Dad say; "Look at him, all grown up now. Are you going to keep treating him like that? Are you going to do the same thing to Chris last night and tell him that he's not worth anything? To get out of the house, where's he going to go huh? To the Everdeen's? It's embarrassing enough as it is that they have to feed Peeta instead of us, that they take care of him more than we do."  
I take in a shaky breath and get out of the house. I pray that when I come back, everything's going to be alright. I don't know what I'm going to do today. I don't even know what I want to do with Katniss. I walk to their house and try to think, it's quiet a sunny day and we could go anywhere. But where? I might as well just ask her where she wants to go.

I give their door a few knocks until Katniss answers the door. She welcomes me in and tells me that Prim and Mrs Everdeen are working at the hospital.  
"Do they allow a twelve year-old girl handle patients?" I ask.  
"No, well, she tells me that they like her at the hospital but they just teach and show her a few stuff. They never really let her handle a patient." She says.  
"Ah…okay." I say.  
"So what do you want to do today?" I continue by asking.  
"Uhh, I don't know we could-" Katniss stops talking suddenly and she looks like she's thinking hard.  
"What?" I say.  
"Do you want to go for a swim today?"  
"I- I don't know how to swim." I respond.  
"Don't worry, we can go and I'll teach you." She says.  
"Where are we going exactly?" I ask in confusion.  
"To the lake."  
"A lake, where?"  
"Where Dad used to hunt, it's inside the hunting border and people swim there all the time." She says.  
"The one with the waterfall! Alright then, but it's like an hour away." I say.  
"That's where public transport comes in." She says quietly.  
"I really need to learn how to drive don't I" I say to myself more than I do to Katniss.  
"I'll go get us some clothes, you wait here." She says.  
"And whose clothes are you going to give me, one of Prim's dresses?" I ask jokingly.  
"I'll get you one of Dad's clothes, his hand me downs. They'll be able to fit you, I mean, you're pretty masculine." She says then turns to gather things for our swimming trip.  
I patiently wait for her and she comes out with a bag filled with our clothes.  
"What else should we get?" She asks.  
I shrug, "Some water?" I suggest lamely.  
"Maybe some treats…wait here." I stay where I am while she goes to the kitchen to get some things.  
When she comes back I add, "Should we tell your mum where we're going?" I say.  
"Yep, write a note and leave it, somewhere where they will be able to see while I go and call her." Katniss leaves to go to the living room to call her mum while I stand awkwardly at the doorway and look for pen and paper. Once I've found my resources I neatly write down;  
_Mrs Everdeen,  
Katniss and I went to the lake where your husband used to hunt.  
If you need anything please call me.  
-Peeta  
_That was pretty lame but at least she knows where we are. I keep forgetting that I have a phone. I probably do because Katniss and I don't spend a lot of time on our phones; instead we spend a lot of time together.  
I hear Katniss mumbling in the living room, I leave the note on the end table near the door where I know Mrs Everdeen will always leave her keys. I make my way to the living room and just as reached the doorway Katniss bumps into me.  
"Oh! Sorry."  
"Sorry." We say in unison.  
"Jinx!" The word escapes Katniss' lips before it does from mine.  
We burst out laughing and something tells me that this is going to be a good day…I can feel it.

* * *

Thank you guys for reading and as usual, please leave me your thoughts. I have no idea how I'm going to end this story but if you guys have any recommendations please tell me.  
Thank you guys for reading and please please please review.  
I will try to make the chapter as fast as possible.  
Just so you know, I made this chapter long so that you can forgive me for making you guys wait.  
Please keep in touch for the next chapter.

-RestelessIdeas


	18. The Lake

I'm sorry for making you guys wait for a few days, but it's really hard to find the time.

Anyways, please enjoy this chapter. It's just a little date between Katniss and Peeta.  
This story is nearly ending and I really want to make the ending good, so please recommend anything that you want.

Please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games

* * *

Katniss and I take a bus to the train station and take the train the rest of the way to where the woods are; where the lake is.  
"I'm so excited, I mean, I haven't gone in months." Katniss says excitedly as we leave and reach our destination.  
"Katniss! Is that you?" I hear a deep voice behind us say.  
Katniss turns around and I can see the she recognises the man. He's pretty tall, dark hair with some grey growing in, grey eyes just like Katniss, and he even has olive kind of skin. He looks like his 45 years old and he looks like a nice man but he looks quiet drunk too.  
Katniss walks to him to give him a hug. When Katniss turns around she says, "Peeta, this is Haymitch. He's my Dad's hunting partner."  
I walk up to this so called Haymitch and shake his hand  
"You must be that boy that Katniss father keep talking about…Peter right?" He says.  
"No sir, Peeta." I correct him politely.  
"You don't have to say sir, just call me Haymitch. I heard a lot and I mean a lot of nice things about you. This girl's father here talks about you as if you're his own son." He continues.  
_Really?_ I never knew that. It's kind of weird when I think about it now, he talks about me as if I'm his own son. It's a nice feeling getting to know that.  
"So, what brings you two here, do you have a license to hold a gun and hunt?"  
"Um no, we were actually going to go to the lake inside the borders." Katniss tells Haymitch.  
"So you two are going on a date?" Haymitch says.  
"We're going for a swim." Katniss corrects.  
"Well I'll walk you guys in and then you can go to the lake by yourselves." He says and starts leading, Katniss and I follow behind.

* * *

"Are we nearly there?" I say in desperation.  
"Just a few more metres Peeta, trust me, in the end all the walking will be worth it."  
"Alright then…" I mumble.  
It's actually quite a hot day so the tank top was a good call, the jeans aren't though. My leg are starting to get hot and sweaty.  
We walk in silence for a few more minutes and I cannot take it anymore.  
"Katniss, are you sure that the lake is here?"  
Katniss turns around to look at me in disbelief, "This lake is very important to me Peeta, please don't do this. Not now."  
"It's been a few years that's all, I don't really remember us being here."  
"Of course you wouldn't, that was when my Dad was still alive. He takes me here all the time though. We're nearly there, I promise…"  
We continue walking and as soon I hear water hitting water I make a run for it. As I run to the sound I can hear Katniss laughing behind me. I make my way through the bushes until I see the nice and blue water bed. I even see the waterfall, falling down from a low cliff.  
I out the bag I was carrying and drop down on my knees. I crawl to the edge of the lake and pour water all over my face.  
I hear Katniss rummaging through the bag and I turn to look at her.  
"What you got there?" I ask.  
"I'm just getting out a blanket for us."  
"Oh." I make my way to her and take a seat.  
"Are you sure we won't get hunted and shot in here. I mean, this is inside the shooting boundary." I say.  
"My dad and I didn't get shot when we swam around here." She says with a shrug.  
I chuckle at her comment and watch her spread the blanket.  
"Alright, there. Done, do you want to go swim now?" She says.  
"Yeah!" I say and jump up to my feet.  
"Let's go then." She says then get up too. Immediately she starts to take her shirt off and all I can do is stand there and…stare.  
Once Katniss' shirt is off and she has a black singlet on. I stare at Katniss with my mouth half open and once she sees the look on my face she smile playfully. Katniss puts on a questioning look and I do nothing. I just stand there and stare, Katniss rolls her eyes, then she turns around and continue undressing herself. I shake my head to shake the thought away; after I've picked myself back together I turn around and take my shirt off.  
"Hey Katniss!"  
"Yeah!"  
"Did you get me some shorts for me?"  
"Of course I did." Katniss replies.  
I keep my shorts on then turn around to see Katniss' grey eyes looking at me in…a way that makes me want to cover myself. I look at her too, She kept her shorts on but the only covering her up is her black bra.  
"Uhhh Katniss?" I say softly.  
Katniss shakes her head then looks up to smile at me.  
"So uhhh- uhm, let- let's go an- and swim then." She walks past me and I hear her exhale sharply.  
I follow behind closely. The water is quiet cold as soon as we're waist deep I start getting goose bumps.  
As I'm just getting use to the water temperature I feel the cold icy water splash me on the back and I let shout. I hear Katniss laughing behind me and I turn to see her big smile.  
"Let's play then." I say then splash her too.  
She reacts with a very loud yell and shouts out, "Cold!"  
"I know." I mouth.  
I get ready to splash her again and Katniss seems to see my plan and starts moving back away from me.  
"Peeta, I'm so sorry! Please don't do it again."  
"I'm sorry too." I say and I give her a big splash and we start splashing each other, chasing each other around the lake. Katniss, because of her incredible speed, is too far for me to splash her. It's quiet hard running around water and I you get pretty breathless but I'm not tired. I'm enjoying this.  
I catch up to Katniss in no time and grab her waist from behind, I turn her over and pick her up and put her over my shoulder. I look around quickly to where I should put her and the waterfall quickly catches my eye. I start making my way towards it while Katniss shouts to put her down.  
"No!" I yell back.  
As we near the waterfall I can see that they're actually a little open are behind it. I make my way to the side and see an entrance to the back of the waterfall.  
"Where are we going?!" Katniss yells.  
I don't answer and starting walking to the side, where the entrance is, I don't stop walking until were inside a little cavern behind the waterfall. There's still water but they only go up to your knees. I can hear the waterfall behind me and I look around the space this little cave has to offer. There's not much light coming through, tiny pebbles lie on the floor and the walls around this little cavern is quiet mossy.  
"Peeta, will you please put me down now." Katniss says quietly.  
Slowly and carefully, I bring Katniss down.  
"Wow." Katniss says casually.  
"Yep. Pretty romantic don't you reckon?" I say and nudge her as a joke.  
"Don't even start with me." She says then starts walking around.  
I watch Katniss walk around and she stops on the far end and starts looking at the moss and the rocks.  
When I reach Katniss I ask her why she seems to be mesmerized by moss.  
"It just reminds me of when I cried here in the woods. My Dad played a joke on me, he told me that we should go to different directions while he hunted on the other side. I came back to our rendezvous place to find him lying on the floor covered with blood. It was all a joke, he used rabbit blood and I wouldn't stop crying. He found some moss and that's what I used, it's actually very absorbent."  
"He shouldn't play jokes like that, I'm cold." I say and then I hug Katniss from behind.  
"Would you play a joke like that on me?" She asks softly.  
"To find out your reaction, maybe. But as a joke, I wouldn't." I answer.  
Hearing the nice rhythmic sound of the waterfall falling makes me tap my foot.  
_I am so weird.  
_"I feel like dancing again." I say.  
"You are so weird…" She says.  
"What a coincidence, I was just thinking that. But seriously…"  
"There are rocks underneath us Peeta."  
"So?"  
"Fine…"  
"Yes! Thank you Lord." I say.  
"This is going to have awkward written all over it…" Katniss mumbles.  
"No, come on! How often do you dance behind a waterfall?"  
"Not often, I don't think anyone does actually. I still need to teach you how to swim." She reminds me.  
"Yeah, we can do that later." I say and grab onto her waist, she puts her arms around my neck and we slowly move around, we're merely just moving in circles. We could just dance around a pie plate.  
"Can we come back here again?" I ask Katniss, "I really like it here." I continue.  
"If you want to, this could be our special place." She says and I twirl her around.  
I look at the water falling and a thought hits me, "What if we get shot? I mean, hunters from outside might just see our silhouette and I don't think they're afraid to shoot."  
"They won't, trust me." She says.  
"It's just weird that's all that hunters always hunt around here." I say.  
"Give it a few years; this won't be a hunting place anymore. All of the rabbits, squirrels and other animals will be dead. Hunters will kill them all." She says.  
"You hunted too."  
"Yeah…well, it was because we needed food. We still do, but I can't hunt now because I don't have any adult with me for supervision. Plus, my Dad and I don't hunt and kill animals non-stop. We just get as much as we need and leave." She says.  
"Okay, I believe you."  
"I'm thinking about getting a job. I mean, I need to get a job. I just don't know how Prim's going to cope." She suddenly says out of the blue.  
"A job? Why? What's wrong?" I ask.  
"We need money more than ever Peeta, if you don't have Peeta; you starve, you won't be able to buy a house and shelter that you can live on. We're broke; it's all about money, money, money. We don't get food if we don't have money, we can't get anything without money. Money irritates me, that's how people even started to starve, because they don't have money. Food doesn't even come out free these days." She says in frustration.  
I'm quiet shocked by Katniss' point on this. She is right about money though.  
"I'll work with you then, share you half of what we get paid." I say.  
"What? Peeta no, don't do that." She argues but I disagree, "No Katniss, you guys are family to me. I will help you through anything and everything because you've helped me too much already."  
Katniss shakes her head, "Peeta, just no." She says sternly.  
"Yes," I say with a smile.  
"No!"  
"Yes!"  
"No, I won't let you."  
"Yes, you can't stop me.  
"I forbid it alright, so no."  
"You don't have the right to do that alright, so yes." I say and twirl her around, this is coming out as a joke to me but Katniss seems to be very serious about this.  
"You don't need a job Peeta, you help around your house."  
"I could get more money and learn to be more independent rather than just getting money off of my Dad. I want to help you, I love you Katniss, you know that."  
"I really can't stop you from doing something you set your mind into, can I?" She says flatly.  
"No." I say with a smile and give her a kiss and lean my forehead on hers.  
"Why do you have to be so sweet?" She says with a small smile.  
"Why do you have to be so beautiful?" I say and think back to the moment in the hospital when I we had the same kind of conversation.  
"Okay okay, let's not get carried away." Katniss says.  
We continue dancing for a few more minutes until Katniss wants to swim; Katniss shows me how to properly kick my foot and then teaches me a few strokes. I get better and better by the minute by I shouldn't be swimming in deep water anytime soon.  
After that, Katniss and I head on to shore and Katniss actually bought some sandwich leftovers that Mrs Everdeen made last night that was supposed to be for some people in the hospital.  
Katniss and I sit next together and look at the sun reflect on the water.  
"I really don't want to forget this, as soon as I get home I'm painting this moment and keeping it forever." I say.  
"It is really beautiful isn't it?" She says softly then drops her head on my shoulder.  
"I wonder what would happen if we never met. I wonder who you would be laying in with this lake today." I say in a wondering voice.  
"I don't know Peeta, I really don't. If you hadn't scared me by yelling "Hello!" 11 years ago I really would have no idea on what I would be doing with my life right now. You know Peeta, when I was singing the first thing I saw when I sat in that stool was your blue eyes, it was blue as the sky and I couldn't stop staring." She says and it shocks me.  
I look down at her and say, "Really?" I try to think back to that day 11 years ago and I remember now. When Katniss was getting ready to sit on that stool she was looking around the room and then she looked at me. I don't remember it quiet well but I remember myself smiling at her and then staring with adoration while she sang. I smile at the memory and kiss the top her head.  
"You were so cute…" She continues.  
"Katniss?..." I say in a more serious voice.  
"Hm…"  
"Wha- What do you think is uhhh, going to happen in the future for the both of us."  
I can feel Katniss stiffen and she sits upright. Out of the blue, I suddenly feel like I'll lose her or something.  
"Katniss?"  
"We're not sure yet Peeta, but I know that it will be a good one." She says with a smile and I know she's trying not to hurt my feelings.  
"Does that mean we won't be together?" I ask.  
"No of course not." She says and move closer and I welcome her with open arms. I hold on to Katniss never wanting to let go.  
"We will be together, trust me. If we play things right then we don't have to worry about anything." She says.  
"Then we can make mini Katniss'?" I say jokingly and just as I expected Katniss gives me a smack on my arm.  
"That really wasn't necessary." She says.  
"So, do you want to do it before or after marriage?" I ask jokingly, she smacks me one more time and I laugh.  
"No seriously," I say after I manage to stop laughing.  
"Really?" She looks at me seriously and I nod.  
"After." She says quickly and quietly I can barely understand, but I do.  
"What was that?" I say leaning my ear in closer.  
"After!" She says a bit more loudly.  
"Well then I have to propose sooner then." I say jokingly.  
"Yeah, we'll see who'll you'll marry Peeta." She turns away and lean her head on my shoulder again.  
"Just because we don't know who I'm going to marry in a few more years that doesn't mean I haven't already found her." I say softly and play with her hair.  
"I've probably already found her…" I continue in a soft voice.  
This time, Katniss doesn't freeze or get still. Instead, she encircles her arms around my elbow and lean in closer. We sit in the sun for a while, just drying ourselves. I really don't want this day to end, ever. But I mean, all good things must end…right? Please tell me I'm not right.

After we've dried ourselves and decided to change into warm clothes so that we don't catch pneumonia, but I said that it was close to impossible that that kind of thing would happen but I change anyway and put on one of Mr Everdeen's large sized shirts. Katniss was right, I am pretty built up, I never thought that my muscles would fill up this much space on a shirt.

Katniss and I pack our stuff and decide to walk around the woods. I offer to carry our bags and we start walking around the woods.  
"Trust me, if we get shot I'll be pretty upset. Then I won't get to marry you." I say and then take her hand.  
"Will you stop. My legs are turning to jelly everytime you say something like that." She says.  
I chuckle and then I put my arm around Katniss' shoulders.  
Katniss and I walk around and Katniss talks to me about some trees. Some people would think that it's boring to talk about trees but if you actually listen, you'll find it interesting. Everything that comes out of Katniss' mouth is interesting anyway. She shows me some berries too, poisonous and edible. Katniss and I just walk by the side of the water and so that we can still stay by the sun.  
After a few minutes of walking around I can't help but look at the water and I see some kind of plants beside the water bed. They look really nice too.  
"Katniss what are those?" I point to the water bed to show her what I was talking about.  
"Oh..those, come on I'll show you." She says and leads us to the water bed and I get to see the flowers closely. They look really nice; they don't seem like flowers though. I mean, they might look like flowers but I don't think that's true.  
"What do you think they are?" Katniss asks me and then she bends down.  
I bend down too so that I can take a look at this plant that I haven't seen before.  
"I don't know Katniss, I really don't." I say, I feel quiet disappointed because I know how Katniss like talking about hunting and survival skills.  
"Their katniss roots." She says and I give her a look that clearly shows that I am not really believing her.  
"Really? Well their beautiful."  
"My Dad said once…" She put her start digging at the katniss roots and continues, "That if I am able to find myself we'll never go hungry."  
"I was named after this plant by the way…"  
"I had a thought that you did but I never really knew." I say softly.  
She stands and shows me the flower and I examine it. It really is beautiful.  
"It's beautiful…" I say softly.  
"I know." She replies and I look up to see her smiling widely at me. I then change my gaze and look at her eyes that I get lost into straight away.  
"You're beautiful." I find myself saying.  
And just when I thought her smile couldn't get any wider, it does.  
"I love you," She says and our lips go crashing against each other.  
I'm really thinking about marrying Katniss sooner rather than later.

* * *

Thanks guys for reading.  
The next chapter might be the last chapter and I really want to make it special so we'll have to wait a few days for that. But not too long, thank you so much guys for reading this story, it means so much.  
Please, please, please tell me what you think and review.

-RestlessIdeas


	19. A Random Day

Sorry for the wait guys, i couldn't find the time. So i made the chapter longer for you and this is the last chapter. But I don't really like the ending though. I just want to thank you guys for reading this story. I love you all. I has been so much fun and hopefully you guys enjoy this.

Disclaimer: I do not ow The Hunger Games

* * *

"I'll see you tomorrow okay."

"Yes, of course you'll see me tomorrow Peeta."  
"Alright, I'll go then…" I give Katniss a kiss and start making my way home.

I make it to the front door but before I seem to hesitate on turning the knob. I wonder what has happened while I was gone. I take a deep breath in and slowly turn the knob and open the door nice and wide.  
"Ah Peeta! Just in time for dinner. Come on!" My Dad, looking as cheerful as ever, says as he passes me to make his way to the kitchen. As he enters the kitchen as stand there, somewhat confused.  
He's happy, I'm happy and I can see that someone cooked dinner today instead of the leftovers I might've cooked the other day.  
"Oh Peeta's here! Excellent!" That was Chris that I hear, I would think that he was lying and just sounding happy but the tone of his voice really was convincing.  
_What happened while I was gone?!  
_I slowly make my way down to the dining room and I find Sam, Dad, Chris and Mum all sitting down at the dining table smiling and passing plates down the table.  
"Come on. Sit down son! Your mum cooked her best dish today; steamed chicken." Dad said joyfully.  
I quietly take a seat next to Sam.  
"Alright! I just prayed so let's dig in." Chris announced.  
"Could you pass me the juice please Peeta." I look at my mother's smiling face.  
"Uh sure, here." I carry the jar of juice and pass it to her.  
"Thank you."  
"Whatever." I reply in a quiet hostile way.  
I hear Sam lets clear his throat and I give him an annoyed look. I really don't want to act the way these guys are acting. Especially after a very hot and tiring day. I just want to go to sleep and see Katniss tomorrow.  
"So…Peeta, where did you go today?" My mum asks me and a sweet but fake voice.  
"Look, I really don't want you guys to act as if your faking it 'cause I can tell. I know this better for us but don't expect me to act the same way. Respect and trust has to be earned but that doesn't mean that I'm going to treat you like rubbish." I say and put food inside my mouth.  
We eat quietly for a few more minutes until Dad asks the same question again except changing it a little bit.  
"Where did you and Katniss go anyway?"  
"Uhhh, we actually went to the lake his dad always took her when he went out hunting." I say much more happily than I did to my mum.  
"Really, he wanted to take us there once. He said that it had a waterfall." Chris added.  
I look over at him and smile, "Yeah. It was a really clean lake and it was really blue."  
"It might as well be the colour of your eyes; they're really blue you know." Mum adds.  
"Yeah…but that was bluer." I say and go back to eating my food.  
"Did you have fun? Went for a swim?" Sam asked.  
"Yeah." _Are my family actually having a chat not just a small talk?  
_"She's a beautiful girl isn't she?" Mum said.  
"Yeah, she is. Very." I say this while keeping my head down at my plate.  
"Who knows, you might end up marrying her." Sam gives me a nudge and a wink after he says this. I look at him in surprise because Katniss and I were talking about that earlier today.  
"We- we were actually just talking about that." I say.  
"What a coincidence." Sam said and continued eating.  
"Weren't you wearing a tank top today not a shirt and where's your hat?" Chris asks me.  
"Yeah, I did mention that we went swimming. I'm wearing Mr Everdeen's shirt and I think I left my hat with Katniss." I reply and I just realised that I left my wet clothes in Katniss' bag.  
"Man I'm jealous. You have a girlfriend and I don't. You're so lucky you have a friend like that." Sam says sadly and at the same time; jokingly.  
"They've been friends ever since they were 5 years old. She's not just his girlfriend she's his best friend as well." Dad points out.  
"Yeah…where did I go wrong when I was 5 years old?" Sam says.  
"I believe Peeta was brave enough to speak to Katniss after she's finished singing that song." Dad says.  
"What do you think Peeta would be doing now if he hadn't talked to Katniss when he was 5." Chris said as a thought rather than a question but we answer it anyway.  
"He would be trying to find a way to talk to her." Dad says.  
"Or he would be a really lonely boy with nothing else better to do." Sam adds.  
"Yeah well, all of the above." I say with a smile.

We continue eating and Chris volunteers to clear the table and Sam washes the dishes. I sit and watch TV with Mum and Dad and when I can't talk my mother being too nice anymore I excuse myself by saying that I'm tired and make my way to bed. It is quite early; it's just a little after 10. When I lie down the bed I realise that I am quite tired. I don't even remember to change and I just drift off.  
I wake up to the sound of knocks on my door.  
"Come on Peeta! Wake up if you want to hang out with the Everdeen's today or we'll just leave you behind." Chris says and my eye opens immediately.  
I run to the door and I see Chris' smiling face.  
"You're joking right?" I say.  
"No, I'm not. They're actually downstairs. Mum and Mrs Everdeen are chatting, Sam is hanging out with Prim and Katniss. I have to go back down so that I can hang out with Jackie."  
"Yeah…right…very funny Chris and I though last night was crazy…"I say in a voice the obviously means that I don't believe him. I turn around and slowly make my way to bed and cover myself with my blanket.  
"Look Peeta-"  
I bring my hand up and start waving him off because I really don't want him to use excuses right now and I'm really tired and I wanna go back to sleep.  
"Okay then…" He sighs.  
He closes the door and it actually shocks me how I manage to drift off in just a few minutes.

This time, I wake up to someone jumping up on the bed. _Jumping up on the bed!  
_I open my eyes and there she is; Katniss Everdeen. Her legs are on either side of my hips and she is actually jumping up and down.  
"Wake!" She says as she jumps up and says; "Up!" As she descends.  
When she realises that my eyes are open she drops down on her knees and comes face to face with me.  
"Hi," I mumble.  
"You have to get change! Come on!" She grabs my shirt and pulls me up and she leans back herself.  
"Mmmmm, you're in my bed. This isn't real I'm dreaming." I say with my eyes closed.  
"Mmmmm. Peeta." She mimics my tone.  
I open one of my eyes and I see Katniss looking at me smiling.  
"Peeta…Come on. I was pretty shock with your dad calling as well but it's all good." I feel her wrap her arms around my neck and the only thing keeping me upright is Katniss weight on my lap.  
I take a moment to just try to calm down and not freak out about Katniss being in my bed.

I try to accept it; that my family is turning normal. And it just took a few hours while I was gone. I open my eyes completely and see Katniss. I smile and give her a kiss.  
"Good Morning." I say.  
"Yeah, morning…now go het changed so that we can go wherever were supposed to go."  
"Alright, I'll do it when you get off me." I say and yawn.  
Katniss stands up and gets off the bed. She turns around then makes her way out of the room and I stare at her as she makes her way out. She's wearing a nice dark blue lace dress that end just on top of her knees. I even realise that her hair isn't on a braid and she looks like an angel freshly sent from above.  
"You look very pretty." I say loudly before she disappears. She replies with a sigh and says, "I'll see you downstairs Peeta."  
I brush my teeth, put a plain black shirt on, put on dark grey jeans, white Supra high tops and put my hat on. I look at myself at the mirror for just a few seconds before I shrug and make my way out. I'm not very vain but even Gale and Cato are jealous because apparently I have this think called 'swag'. I really don't care.  
I make my way down the stairs and I find my mother and Katniss' mother making their way into the living room. They don't seem to notice me and I'm completely fine with that. I follow them into the living room and I find _everyone _there. And by everyone I mean that everyone is there; Gale and his two younger brothers Rory and Vick, he didn't bring Posy though, I see Cato and his dad, Madge and _her _dad, Delly with her mother and of course the three Everdeen girls. I watch Katniss sitting down with Madge and Delly, and then I look over at Prim talking to Rory.  
I look over to my mum and she looks happy as a clown. That she's happy that we actually have more than 2 guests in our house.

Everyone seems to see me standing in the archway then Prim lets out a "Good morning" and everyone else says a really exasperated, "Finally!"  
They tell me to go outside and get in the car already and I really want to know where were going. I make my way outside and find Katniss and Madge conversing about something. Everyone else is trying to figure out who's going into whose car. Just as I reach Katniss Gale calls Madge to get into her Dad's car. Gale, Rory and Prim are riding with Madge and her dad by the looks of it.  
"Hi." I say and Katniss turns around to give me a smile.  
"Hey." She says softly.  
"Hey! Katniss! Peeta! You're riding with me!" I look to my left and catch Chris waving us into his car.  
Katniss and I seem to be the last ones to get into a car; they organized themselves quicker than I thought. They did it in a matter of seconds actually.  
When Katniss and I get in the car, I realise that Jackie is with us. So there are 5 of us in the car; Chris, Sam, Katniss, Jackie and myself. One happy family.  
"Uh, Chris would you mind telling me where were going?" I say after I buckle up.  
"Yeah Chris! Where are we going?" Sam says quiet loudly. This, of course, surprises me because I thought that Sam knew.  
"You don't know?" I direct at Sam.  
"No, of course not. One moment I'm sleeping the next Chris wakes me up, I go down to get me some breakfast then all of a sudden family by family comes in at the door."  
"Yeah, where are we going? We just got a call saying to go over your house." Katniss implies.  
Chris shrugs, "I don't know." He says casually.  
"What do you mean you don't know?!" The four of us say in unison.  
"Jinx!" Katniss and I say at the same time and we let out a laugh.  
"Oh no. Not this again." Sam says and I hear him whisper to Chris' ear, "I thought they stopped playing these games when they were like 14 or something."  
"I thought it was eight when they stopped saying jinx at each other." Chris said.  
I look over at both of them, "You are right. We did stop with the little competition if we said jinx at the same time. Now, we just say jinx and if we say it at the same time we just laugh." I say.  
"You guys are weird…" Jackie says while shaking his head at the same time.  
"Anyway, how could you not know?" I ask Chris again.  
"I really don't know, I woke up to Dad calling them up on the phone but I never really understood. Look, he just told me that it's a surprise. The rest of the adults know. He just told me to follow him." He implies.  
"Well aren't you an adult?" Jackie says from the front seat.  
"The adults with children." He says clearing it with us.  
Chris does what he's told and as we drive the first hour, I realise we're headed nowhere near the city. I look at Katniss, who is sitting in the middle, I find myself staring at her and once she's caught me; she smiles.  
She sighs, moves closer and rests her head on my shoulder. I rest mine on top of her head. We stay like this until we find ourselves dozing off.

"Peeta. Katniss. Come on wake up." I fell someone shaking me and I hear Sam's voice.  
I open my eyes and blinded by the sun's rays.  
"Where are we?" Katniss mumbles.  
"We're at a gas station, we're going to take a break. Let's go." Sam continues and when I look at him he just closes his door. Katniss and I are now the only ones left in the car.  
"What time is it?" Katniss mumbles into my chest.  
I look over at the time over at the front seat where its blinking.  
"Just a little over ?"  
"We've been driving for like…3 hours." She says quietly  
"I wonder where we're going." I say.  
Katniss and I wake up a little more and we get out of the car. The first thing we see is Gale, Rory, Madge and Prim chasing each other on a little grass are away from all the gas.  
Chris and Jackie seem to be filling up the car when we head out and the rest of the other families are just scattered everywhere.  
"You know Katniss, I think this is one of the first times we actually went out on an outing with other people. Not just the two of us." I tell her.  
"Yeah, I think you're right." She agrees.  
"Come one, let go inside and get something to drink or eat." I suggest."  
I take Katniss' hand and walk into the gas shop and find Delly's mum Katniss' mum and my mother looking around the halls for things to buy too. When they see Katniss and I come in they smile and wave us over to them.  
"What brings you guys over here? Looking for something to drink? Eat?" Delly's mother say in Delly's cheery tone.  
"Umm, yeah. We were actually." Katniss answers.  
"Well we're looking for things we might need when we get to the mountain." Delly's mum mumbles and Katniss and I share a look.  
"Mountain?" We say in unison.  
"Jinx!" We say again in unison and Katniss slaps my shoulder, "I win." She says.  
"Yeah, sure sure." I say sarcastically.  
"Oh!" Delly mum covers her mouth when she realises what she has just said and Katniss mother and my mother give her a look.  
"You heard nothing." She says and starts pushing me and Katniss to turn around so that we can walk away.  
"What mountain, the next mountain is probably an hour or 3 away." I proclaim.  
"You guys said you were going to buy something." Katniss' mother said, obviously trying to change the subject.  
"Here's some extra money Peeta, you didn't get this week' allowance from me." My mother says and starts rummaging around her bag for her purse.  
"I get allowances from you, when did tha-" I stop what I'm saying when Katniss elbows me and gives my hand a squeeze.  
I silently wait for my mother to offer me a few dollars and say a quiet thank you. Katniss and I walk away from the gossiping ladies and walk around the hallways.  
"You're mother said that I looked pretty today." Katniss says as a matter of fact.  
"Really?" I say in a surprised tone but it's not even close to me sounding sarcastic. Having my mother be nice to me is one thing but to her being nice to Katniss is a completely different thing.  
"Yep, she said she liked the dress and she bets that you would like it too." She continues.  
"I do like it. But she actually spoke to you." I say.  
"Yeah, it kind of scared me a little bit."  
I chuckle a little bit, "Well that's something. You're scared of nothing."  
"I know, and having your mother say that really does scare me."  
"Let's try and forget my mother being very nice and just accept it. What drink do you want?"  
Katniss and I get a few bottles of water, some flavoured drink and a few more for other people.  
"We should get some chips or something." Katniss suggests.  
"Yeah, some junk food." I say.

By the time Katniss and I have finished paying for the beverages, everyone is actually coming inside the shop to pay for petrol price. Katniss and I step outside and wait for them to finish paying. We share all of the food and drinks that we bought because we're all in different cars and it was also good that the mothers have actually bought other extra beverages to share with us. I mention to Sam and Jackie that we're going to some mountain. They seem to be interested and then Jackie mentions, "Wait. We live all the way in the city and the closest mountain might be a few more hours away and don't you have school tomorrow?"  
"I did think about the closest mountain being hours away and I really don't want to think about school right now." I say.  
We patiently wait for Chris while he's talking to dad; they seem to be talking about which and what direction to go to.  
"You know dad use to talk about this mountain with me and Chris when we were younger, you weren't born then Peeta." Sam says and strikes up a conversation.  
"He used to tell us a story about a young brave man who liked looking for trouble and adventure. I guess going to a mountain and the woods would bring you lots of trouble and lots of adventure. He said that his own father used to take him out camping and he seemed to always enjoy that. Dad likes the woods or even mountains. Well, mountains with woods anyway." Sam continues.  
"What are you saying?" Jackie says, clearly confused.  
"I'm just saying that we're probably going to go a special place of dad's." Sam answers.  
"That mountain or woods better have a nice swimming pool otherwise I'm going to cry." Jackie says.  
Katniss and I sit quietly eating some cheese flavoured chips. I look over at Sam at the front seat and see him watching us over the front mirror.  
"How's your relationship going?" Sam says.  
I see Jackie poke her head from the window and say, "Oh yeah, it's great. I mean, Chris is a really nice guy. I feel do hap-"  
"No. Not you! Katniss and Peeta." Sam interrupts.  
"Oh! Yeah…Katniss and Peeta…how are you to doing?" Jackie says with realisation.  
I look at Jackie and Sam turning my head as I look at them. Katniss gets more chips form the packet and looks out the window. I do the same thing and pretend that we didn't hear anything. I hear a soft chuckle from Sam and even Jackie lets out a laugh.  
"You know Katniss…Peeta actually had a crush on you for ages. You made him certain ways which would sometimes confuse him and sometimes make him feel happy. Did you know that?" Jackie brings up.  
I have told Katniss once about how she makes me feel certain ways but I've never really explained to her how it affected me and how it really made me feel. Katniss looks at me and smiles. She holds my gaze while she says, "I know."  
"Are you guys happy together?" Sam continues and just as I was about to answer Chris opens the door and gets in.  
"Oh! Chris! You ruined it, I was about to embarrassed our little brother in front of your girlfriend and his girlfriend." Sam exclaims.  
"Chris ignores him and puts his seat belt on.  
"What are you doing at the front Sam, Jackie's at the front." Chris says while adjusting his front mirror.  
"Ha!" Jackie says and starts opening her door do that she can get at the front.  
"Dude!" Sam bellows.  
Jackie opens the door and pulls Sam out of the front seat.  
"So much for brotherhood." Sam says as he settles down next to Katniss.  
"You guys might wanna sleep 'cause it's going to be a long drive." Chris says.  
"Why? What time will we arrive?" Katniss asks.  
"Probably around 3 or 4 pm."  
"That's hours away." I exclaim.  
"That's why I said go to sleep." Chris says.  
"Oh!" Sam says sarcastically, "Of course! Duh!" He says and closes his eyes and leans on the window.  
Katniss snuggles closer to me and I try to get more comfortable. I watch the sceneries go by as I look out the window. As we get farther and farther away from the city we get closer and closer to the much more greener are; where you can feel free. Where the air is fresh and not polluted with the car smokes and greenhouse gases. Give these mountains and green areas a few years. Five or ten years then these places will be filled with houses and more factories.  
"Try to remember these areas, keep them in your head Peeta. They might be gone in a few years." Katniss mumbles, she seems to read my mind straight away. Katniss absolutely loves nature. She told me once that if we took the time to think; most of the things we discovered and invented all started off from nature. The things that God has made and left for us to discover and learn from.  
"That's what I was just thinking about." I mumble and look down at Katniss to kiss her forehead.  
"What time is it?" She says again.  
"It's just a little after 2." Jackie says and continues humming the music coming out from the radio.  
"Well I'm hungry. Those chips weren't enough." Sam says.

After a few more minutes Sam's phone starts ringing.  
"Yellow!" Sam says through the phone.  
"Oh hey dad." He continues.  
I can only hear dad's mumbling to through the phone.  
"Oh so, it's just five or ten minutes away?" Sam asks.  
"Okay alright I'll tell Chris." Sam says then hangs up.  
"Chris…" He takes a deep breath, "Dadsaidthatyoushouldjustkeep followinghimeventhoughyouthi nkhe'sgoingtheworngwaybecause  
we'regoingtostopatadiner." Sam says then takes another deep breath as he finished.  
We all laugh and I shake my head at him. Typical Sam.  
"Okay, thanks." Chris says as he lets out another laugh.  
After a few more twist and turns we reach our destination. I look to my window and I can see rest stops, diners and other building on the side of the road. The houses must be on another side, not close to the highway. I look over at the front window and look at where dad is pulling over. It's a little diner called 'Butcher's Manhattan', it looks quite nice; concrete walls, a nice and steady roof and you could see through the window that it looks pretty clean inside. It looks like a good place for a family to eat in too.  
We find a nice parking space and get out of the car. As other people get out of their car, I could see that their all stretching.  
"This looks like a really nice place, how's you ever bump into this?' Cato's dad asks my dad.  
"Well, this is where my father used to take us. He said that the butcher inside, he's names Mick, inspired him to start a bakery. But Mick's died a few years ago I think. He's grandson's running the place now, I don't really know. I haven't been here in years.  
Gale gets out of the car carrying Prim who is sleeping by the looks of it. Rory and Vick are already out of the car and chatting to Cato. Madge gets out of the car afterwards followed by her dad.

We all get inside and find a big table to fit us all in and get ready to order. As we take a seat, everyone's stomachs seem to be rumbling. I look around the room and at the other people eating here. Well, I could tell that meat must be a major thing on the menu because a lot of people eating here seem to be eating nothing but meat. I look over at the counter and watch the people drinking beer, I look to a little are where a few adults are playing a game of billiards. Everyone seems to be too tired to strike up a conversation so dad waves a waiter over and hands us the menu.  
"We'll just call you when we've all figured out what we're going to order." Cato's dad says.  
"Alright, guys start ordering." Dad says and starts moving his eyes through the menu.  
"I've got to tell you that the 'Lamb Mix' is my favourite." Dad says and continues looking through his menu.  
"What do you want?" Katniss asks from beside me.  
"I want a big meal, seeing as this is actually a pretty long ride." I answer.  
"Well your dad says that the lamb mix is pretty delicious and it looks pretty big if you're looking for a big meal."  
I put my arm around the her chair and look closely because I couldn't get any sleep in the car and my eyes are dropping.  
"Alright, I'll just have that. I love lamb anyway." I say and yawn.  
"You okay?" She says and pulls back the hair in my forehead.  
"Umm yeah…" I say and yawn again.  
Seeing me yawn makes Katniss yawn too and I smile.  
"How am I going to stop you from yawning?" Katniss says.  
"I know," I say and lean in to kiss her.  
"Ewwwww." I hear Vick, Rory and Prim say in unison. I look over at them without breaking our kiss and take the menu out of Katniss hands and hide our lips behind it.  
"So…what would…you…like?" I say in between kisses.  
She breaks our kiss and takes the menu off my hands.  
"I'll have a beef burger with French fries." She tells me.  
"Great." I say and yawn again.  
We wait until everyone has figured out what they want to order then dad waves the waitress over and we she writes down what we want. We wait for quite some time for our order to come and by the time they arrive we're all really hungry. As soon as my lamb mix drops on the table I take my time to look at it. There are probably 5 pieces of lamb on the plate and it shares the plate with vegetables. I lick my lips and get my fork and knife ready.  
We eat the rest of our food and get back in the car. In less than an hour we have apparently reached our destination but all I see are trees and grass.  
When we get out of the car Cato asks the question that is all in our heads, "Are we even allowed to be here?"  
"Yes, we are. It's like a national or something type of park." Dad answers.  
"Well, let's get all the tent and stuff ready, we're spending the night here." Madge's dad says.  
"Tent?" I look at Chris questioningly.  
"Um, yeah. It's right here." Chris says.

We all help each other assemble our tents and it's about 5pm that we all managed to build our tents.  
"Our we sleeping here or something." I hear Prim asks.  
"Yes, we are Prim." Mrs Everdeen answers.  
"This is actually turning out to be…a really…random and just plain weird day." Prim continues.  
"Okay, the sun is getting ready to set, can someone go out and get sticks and twigs for a little campfire." Dad says.  
"I'll go." Katniss volunteers, "I'll come with you." I say and stand up.  
Katniss and I walk deeper into the woods to collect sticks. It's actually really surprising, you would expect to find one straight away but it took us about 4 minutes to find one perfect sized twig. There are not a lot of twigs and sticks on the floor but a lot more acorn. Katniss and I don't walk too far away though; we make sure we can still hear our friend's and families' voices even though we can barely see them. After a few more minutes of collecting up some sticks I start to feel drowsy, it's probably because I'm so tired from that drive. Even though all I did was sit down and wait to arrive here.  
"Can we take a seat for a second. I want to rest for a bit." I say.  
Katniss turns around and looks at me, then she drops her sticks next to a tree and says, "Sure, we'll rest right here."  
She takes a seat and I follow.  
"Are you okay?" She asks.  
"Yeah, just a bit tired."  
"Me too."  
Katniss and I sit silently and watch the sun on the horizon.  
"Katniss?" I say in a sincere voice.  
"Hmm."  
"I love you."  
"I love you too Peeta."  
"Peeta…" Now its Katniss' turn to sound hollow.  
"Don't ever leave me okay. Please, stay with me." She says.  
I kiss her forehead and say, "Always…Always."

* * *

Please leave me what you guys think, as usual. And check monthly for new story updates or something. This is my first ever fanfic, I've never written one before and to have people love it and read it is just amazing.  
Thanks guys again and God bless.

RestlessIdeas


	20. Sorry (Author's Note)

I APOLOGISE FOR THE STUPID ENDING!

PLEASE FORGIVE ME!

-RESTLESSIDEAS


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